What Does "Rake over the Coals" Mean?
"Rake over the coals" is an English idiom. It means "to criticize or reprimand someone severely; to subject someone to harsh and relentless scrutiny or judgment."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "rake over the coals" used in a sentence:- After the project's failure, the manager was raked over the coals by the executives.
- The athlete was raked over the coals by the coach for his poor performance.
- His controversial comments in the interview resulted in him being raked over the coals by the public.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Rake over the Coals" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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