Ream out phrase
To broaden or remove the dirt from a hole or empty space inside something solid with a rotary cutting tool.
The plumber is reaming out the pipe clogged with dust.
At first, the nail couldn't fit in that hole, so I reamed out the hole.
To criticize someone harshly because they have done something wrong.
Mom will ream me out if she knows I had taken her money.
The boss reamed me out in front of all the employees for being late.
A harsh reproof
1. To dress more informally than usual
2. To scold someone harshly
To criticize someone in an extremely aggressive and angry way
To scold someone severely or angrily
If a person "gets a lot of grief from someone", he or she receives a strong criticism or judgment for something.
The verb "ream" must be conjugated according to its tense.
The first meaning dates from 1815.
The second meaning dates from 1950.