give someone grief
The phrase "give someone grief" is an idiomatic expression used in various contexts to describe causing trouble, pain, or annoyance to someone.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2General
(informal)To cause someone trouble or difficulty.
Example
- Her computer has been giving her grief all day.
B2Interpersonal
(idiomatic)To criticize or complain to someone persistently.
Example
- Stop giving me grief about the dishes; I'll do them later.
B2Social
(idiomatic)To tease or mock someone in a playful or annoying manner.
Example
- His friends always give him grief about his fashion choices.
C1Online Gaming
(slang, gaming)To deliberately harass or frustrate other players.
Example
- Some players just log in to give others grief by destroying their progress.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "give someone grief":
give someone a hard timegive someone the businessgive someone the shitsworry someone sickget in someone's hairgood griefgive someone a break