по делу

• ПО ДЕЛУ наказывать, ругать, критиковать кого coll

[PrepP; Invar; adv]

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⇒ (to punish, berate, criticize s.o.) deservedly:

- for a (good) reason;

- for good reason;

- with good reason <cause>;

- (the punishment (the criticism etc) is) well-deserved.

     ♦ Вконец раздобревший хозяин кинулся было в магазин за добавкой, но гость решительно перевернул свой стакан вверх дном: "Я... пас". - "Что так?" - "Папашка не любит, когда посреди работы". - "Строг?" - "Да как сказать. Строг не строг, а порядок любит. Если и осадит, так по делу" (Максимов 3). Completely mellowed by now, he wanted to run to the shop for fresh supplies, but his guest resolutely turned his glass upside down. "I pass. ..." "How's that?" "The old man doesn't like it in the middle of a job." "So he's strict?" "I don't know if I'd say that. He isn't exactly strict, but he likes things to be proper. If he takes you down a peg, it's always for a good reason" (3a).