take a shellacking
Be soundly beaten or defeated, as in Our team took quite a shellacking last night. Why being coated with shellac should suggest defeat is not clear. [Slang; c. 1930]
Words nearby take a shellacking
take a look at,
take a picture,
take a poke at,
take a powder,
take a rain check,
take a shellacking,
take a shine to,
take a spill,
take a stand,
take a turn for the better,
take a walk