let someone have it

English

Pronunciation
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Verb

let someone have it (third-person singular simple present lets someone have it, present participle letting someone have it, simple past and past participle let someone have it)

  1. (idiomatic) To attack someone with great force.
    • 1976 August 14, Bill Russell, “Gil Hustle Comes Out”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 7, page 11:
      […] purchased a heavy-duty, light-weight, stainless steel purse, complete with a flame throwers […] and a special attachment that let anyone stupid enough to make a derogatory remark about Gil's sexual persuasion have it right in the family jewels with a bronzed golf shoe.
    At dawn we really let 'em have it with a 30 minute artillery barrage.
  2. (idiomatic) To verbally assail someone.
    When I came home, he let me have it for wrecking the car.
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see let,‎ have,‎ it.
    When he showed me that he'd gotten the insurance certificate for our old car, I decided to let him have it.

See also
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