1. [informal] Censure severely or angrily
   "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup";
   - call on the carpet [US, informal], take to task, rebuke, rag [informal], trounce, lecture, reprimand, jaw [informal], call down [informal], scold, chide, berate, bawl out [informal], chew out [N. Amer, informal], chew up [N. Amer, informal], have words, lambaste, lambast, ream [N. Amer, informal], wig [Brit, informal], carpet [Brit, informal]
    
2. Dress informally and casually
   "On Fridays, employees can dress down";
   - underdress

Derived forms: dressed down, dresses down, dressing down

See also: dress

Type of: criticise [Brit], criticize, damn [informal], dress, get dressed, knock [informal], pick apart

Encyclopedia: Dress down