let someone have it

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

let someone have it (third-person singular simple present lets someone have it, present participle letting someone have it, simple past and past participle let someone have it)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see let,‎ have,‎ it.

   When he showed me that he'd gotten the insurance certificate for our old car, I decided to let him have it.

2. (idiomatic) To attack someone with great force.

   At dawn we really let 'em have it with a 30 minute artillery barrage.

3. (idiomatic) To verbally assail someone.

   When I came home, he let me have it for wrecking the car.

• Derek Bentley case on Wikipedia.Wikipedia