Green’s Dictionary of Slang

brown adv.

In phrases

give it brown (v.)

(Aus.) to scold, to tell off aggressively.

[Aus]Truth (Perth) 18 Feb. 2/6: Blarst him, did she keep a bad 'ouse? / Wot was it he took her for? / [...] / The woman curses, / Gives it to him werry brown.