give hell

informal

1)

when I found out, I gave him hell

Syn:

reprimand severely, rebuke, admonish, chastise, castigate, chide, upbraid, reprove, scold, berate, remonstrate with, reprehend, take to task, lambaste; read the riot act, give a piece of one's mind, rake/haul over the coals; informal tell off, dress down, give an earful, give a roasting, rap over the knuckles, let have it, bawl out, come down hard on, lay into, blast, chew out

2)

she gave me hell when I was her assistant

Syn:

harass, hound, plague, harry, bother, trouble, bully, intimidate, pick on, victimize, terrorize; informal hassle, give a hard time