wail on (someone or something)
wail on (someone or something)
1. To attack or thrash something in an brutal, forceful, or relentless manner. (A common misspelling of "whale on someone or something.") The knights are wailing on the gate with a battering ram! Hold your positions! She began wailing on the poor child until a police officer finally intervened. The other team wailed on us for the entire game, leading to one of our most humiliating defeats of the season.
2. To criticize, rebuke, or verbally assault someone or something vehemently or relentlessly. (A common misspelling of "whale on someone or something.") The interviewer suddenly began wailing on the politician over his alleged ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The boss wailed on us for the entirety of the meeting because of our failure to meet our sales quota.
See also: on, wail
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
wail on someone
in. to beat someone. (see also whale the tar out of someone.) Who are those two guys wailing on Sam?
See also: on, someone, wail
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- wail on someone
- whale into
- whale into (someone or something)
- whale into someone/something
- whale away
- whale away at (someone or something)
- whaling
- wale
- whale on
- whale on (someone or something)