give somebody a piece of one's mind

"give somebody a piece of one's mind"Meghatározása és Jelentése

to give somebody a piece of one's mind

KIFEJEZÉS

to let someone know that their bad behavior made one annoyed or angry

Idiom

Informal

What is the origin of the idiom "give someone a piece of one's mind" and when to use it?

The idiom "give someone a piece of one's mind" dates back to the 16th century and is rooted in the idea of expressing one's thoughts or opinions forcefully and candidly. The term "piece" in this context refers to a portion or share of one's thoughts. Over time, the phrase evolved to signify delivering a direct and often stern reprimand or expressing strong disapproval.

Example

After waiting for hours, Jane finally gave the rude customer a piece of her mind about the importance of patience.

When John discovered his colleague had taken credit for his work, he could n't resist giving her a piece of his mind during the team meeting.

Frustrated with the constant noise from the neighbors, Mark decided it was time to give them a piece of his mind about respecting shared living spaces.