berate

verb

- to criticize or speak in an angry manner to someone

Cambridge Dictionary

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Did you make a wrong choice today? I chose a very tricky word.

Berate is one of those "false friends" which look similar to German, but have a totally different meaning. In this case "Let me berate you" in English could create an unfortunate misunderstanding.

If you'd like a list of the 100 most common G-E false friends, drop me a line at paulsmith.psa@gmail.com and I'll send you a checklist.

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SYNONYMS

rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, admonish, remonstrate with, chastise, chide, upbraid, take to task, pull up, castigate, lambaste, read someone the Riot Act, give someone a piece of one's mind, go on at, haul over the coals, criticize, censure, tell off, slap someone's wrist, let someone have it, send someone away with a flea in their ear, bawl out, give someone hell, come down on someone

give someone: a talking-to, a telling-off, a dressing-down, an earful, a roasting, a rocket, a rollicking, a rap over the knuckles,

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Practice OWAD in a conversation today, say something like:

"He was BERATED by his supervisor for ignoring the safety instructions."