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bawl out

B1 informal separable both
In simple words

To yell at someone for doing something wrong, or to cry or shout very loudly.

Literal meaning: To bawl (yell/cry) something out — to push it outward with loud noise.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To reprimand or scold someone very loudly and angrily.

"The coach bawled the players out at half-time for their sloppy defending."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 informal

To shout or call out something very loudly.

"He bawled out the names of the winners so the whole room could hear."

Grammar: separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal

To cry loudly and without restraint. (Chiefly American English, intransitive)

"She bawled out all the way home after saying goodbye to her best friend."

Usage notes

Common in American and British English. The 'reprimand' sense is the most frequent. The 'cry loudly' sense (intransitive) is chiefly American. In formal settings, 'reprimand' or 'rebuke' would replace this phrase.

Commonly used with

boss coach parent mistake error publicly

Forms

Base
bawl out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bawls out
he/she/it
Past simple
bawled out
yesterday
Past participle
bawled out
have + pp
-ing form
bawling out
continuous

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