take to task

idiomatic phrase

: to call (someone) to account for a shortcoming : to criticize or correct (someone) for some fault or failing

The aunt had quarrelled years before with her brother-in-law, after the death of her sister, taking him to task for the manner in which he brought up his three girls.

—Henry James

… I … gently took him to task for forgetting my instructions …

—Agatha Christie

… Lawrence Solan … takes to task the Supreme Court of the United States for its incorrect linguistic analysis in three cases …

—Bethany K. Dumas

… two board members took group administrators to task for causing undue chaos in a public health crisis.

—P. C. Robinson

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined above