Verb: have words
- Censure severely or angrily
"The neighbours had words over the loud music late at night";
- call on the carpet [US, informal], take to task, rebuke, rag [informal], trounce, lecture, reprimand, jaw [informal], dress down [informal], call down [informal], scold, chide, berate, bawl out [informal], chew out [N. Amer, informal], chew up [N. Amer, informal], lambaste, lambast, ream [N. Amer, informal], wig [Brit, informal], carpet [Brit, informal]
Derived forms: having words, had words, has words
Type of: criticise [Brit], criticize, damn [informal], knock [informal], pick apart