Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a severe beating or defeat; also fig., a scolding.

1926		N. Fleischer in Ring Nov. 10: A shellacking or a pasting or a severe beating or licking today is just another expression for a ‘snoozing,’ which the oldtimers got.
1929		H.C. Witwer Yes Man’s Land 217: I’ll give you the shellackin’ of your life.
1933		C.W. Willemse Cop Remembers 310: Whenever weapons are found or real bad men wanted by the police are picked up, usually a little shellacking goes with the performance.
1938		W. Winchell On Broadway n.d. [synd. col.] The former doughboys took a shellacking in Yorkville.
1947		I. Shulman Amboy Dukes 67: My old man would’ve given me a shellacking.
1950		‘Hal Ellson’ Tomboy (1952) 107: You gave him a good shellacking.
1955		R. Graziano Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) 201: That will show her. Taking a licking, a real shellacking.
1965		L. Bruce How to Talk Dirty 185: How do you like the shellacking he gave Kenny?
1973		M. Walker in Heller In This Corner (1974) 78: He gave me a good shellacking the night we fought.
1980		J. McClure Spike Island (1981) 507: You can [...] examine their work, give them a shellacking every time they do something wrong.
2004		Guardian 10 July 3: Stop that or you’ll get a shellacking.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Coorparoo Blues [ebook] [S]kirling out a lament after the Highlanders had taken a shellacking.