give stick

Etymology
From the literal sense of beating someone or something with a stick (especially a hockey stick).

Verb

 * 1) To abuse, insult, or denigrate.

Usage notes

 * In the phrase “give stick”, give is the verb and stick is the direct object. Like most uses of give, this one requires either an indirect object, as in “he gave me stick”, or a preposition object with to, as in “he gave stick to his critics”.