To call to task or to reprimand severely.
Etymology:
- The earliest example given is from 1565: "S. Augustine, that knewe best how to fetche an heretike ouer the coles.". From the practice of dragging or raking heretics over coals performed by the Catholic Church as a form of torture.
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Submitted on July 07, 2010
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"rake over the coals." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/rake-over-the-coals_14501>.
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