устраивать веселую жизнь

• УСТРАИВАТЬ/УСТРОИТЬ ВЕСЕЛУЮ ЖИЗНЬ кому highly coll, iron

[VP; subj: human; usu. pfv; the verb may take the final position, otherwise fixed WO]

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⇒ to cause s.o. trouble, discomfort etc (by sharply reprimanding him, punishing him, being unreasonably demanding etc):

- X устроил Y-y весёлую жизнь{{}}≈ X made Y's life miserable;

- X made Y's life hell (on earth);

- [of reprimanding s.o. only] X gave Y hell <what for>;

- X gave Y a good tongue-lashing <dressing-down>.

     ♦ Дома я решил сказать, что часы у меня украли в гостинице. Дядя... воспринял эту новость болезненно... "С попутным рейсом заеду и устрою им [администрации гостиницы] весёлую жизнь!" - пообещал он на ходу, выскакивая на улицу (Искандер 6). I decided to tell everyone at home that my watch had been stolen from my hotel room. My uncle took the news very badly. ... "The next time I pass through that town I'm going to stop off at that hotel and give 'em [the hotel management] hell!" was my uncle's parting shot as he went dashing out onto the street (6a).