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- give (someone) (a lot of) stick
give (someone) (a lot of) stick
give (someone) (a lot of) stick
To criticize, judge, or disapprove of someone (for something). My parents gave me a lot of stick for my decision to study art in college, instead of law or medicine. I just know my boss is going to give me stick for that accounting error I made last week. The class still gives John a lot of stick for that time his pants fell down in the middle of an oral report.