Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US) to tell off, to harangue, thus n. chewing out.

[1911		E. Ferber Dawn O’Hara (1925) 243: The kid wears spectacles and a Norfolk suit [...] We’re saving him until you get back, if the kids in the alley don’t chew him up before that time].
1930		(con. 1917) implied in chew (on) someone’s ass under chew v.
1945		in T. Shibutani Derelicts of Company K (1978) 305: I want to see some Buddhaheads chew out some Haoles once in a while.
1948		N.Y. Herald Trib. 11 July 5/1: Soldiers actually used such superior slang phrases as: [...] chew out —reprimand so severely as almost to rip out a victim’s hide.
1958		E. Dundy Dud Avocado (1960) 72: He’d chewed out that sad sack plenty.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 183: I heard a loud sobbing whine [...] It was ‘Scarface’ chewing out Chris.
1974		(con. 1940s) E. Thompson Tattoo (1977) 174: LeMay hit the roof. He really chewed out the bombardiers.
1988		T. Harris Silence of the Lambs (1991) 287: He would dawdle until Crawford was [...] pissed off and justified in chewing him out.
1999		Guardian Rev. 24 Sept. 27: She chewed me out and said she’d never read any of my stuff again.
2010		A. Steinberg Running the Books 331: [If] I know he likes gettin’ chewed out. Then I fuckin’ tell him whatever I think.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] It got him a chewing out from his sergeant.
2021		A. Parks April Dead 157: [H]e was sure Murray would be chewing him out [...] or he’d be suspended.