take to task

skewer, tweak

assail, attack, blast, clobber, slam, slash

nick (at), snipe (at)

beef, bellyache, bitch, carp, cavil, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grouse, growl, grumble, kick, kvetch, moan, murmur, mutter, niggle, quibble, whine

admonish, chide, drub, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove

berate, castigate, crucify, excoriate, flay, gibbet, hammer, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lash, pillory, scold, upbraid

bad-mouth, belittle, decry, deride, discommend, disparage, put down

admonish, chide, remonstrate (with), reprove

abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis (also diss) [slang], excoriate, fault, harangue, knock, lace (into), lash, pan, reprehend, revile, scourge, slam, vituperate

belittle, disparage, mock, put down

ridicule, scoff, scorn