1. Reprimand
   "The manager brushed down the employee for missing the deadline";
   - tell off [informal], tick off [Brit, informal]

Derived forms: brushes down, brushed down, brushing down

See also: tell

Type of: bawl out [informal], berate, call down [informal], call on the carpet [US, informal], carpet [Brit, informal], chew out [N. Amer, informal], chew up [N. Amer, informal], chide, dress down [informal], have words, jaw [informal], lambast, lambaste, lecture, rag [informal], ream [N. Amer, informal], rebuke, reprimand, scold, take to task, trounce, wig [Brit, informal]