lay into

To criticize someone very angrily or severely.

• The boss laid into me.
• She laid into him for forgetting her birthday.
• Why did the coach lay into the whole team?

How to use it: lay into someone for something/doing something (The coach laid into him for arriving late.)

Similar words: scold, berate, tear into

Opposites: praise

Common phrases: lay into someone, lay into the manager

To hit someone hard and repeatedly.

• The two men laid into him.
• She laid into her attacker with both fists.
• He was laying into the stranger when police arrived.

How to use it: lay into someone with something (The attacker laid into him with a heavy stick.)

Similar words: beat up, attack

Common phrases: lay into someone, lay into an attacker

To start eating something quickly and eagerly, especially because you are very hungry.

• We laid into the pizza.
• After the hike, they laid into a huge dinner.
• He was already laying into his second plate of pasta.

How to use it: lay into something (The hungry children laid into their sandwiches.)

Similar words: tuck into, dig into

Common phrases: lay into something, lay into dinner, lay into a pizza