call sb names

This page is about the collocation call sb names

collocation pattern: verb + noun

Meaning

to tease or bully somebody by calling them nasty or offensive names

For example

  • Mindy was bullied and called names by a gang of nasty little girls.

  • He's a bit overweight, so the other guys call him names like "fatty" and "lard bucket".

Quick Quiz

The boy who was calling Billy names was

a. bullying him

b. joking with him

c. giving him a nickname
a) bullying him b) joking with him c) giving him a nickname

Contributor: Matt Errey