From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpull/rip/tear somebody/something to piecespull/rip/tear somebody/something to piecesCRITICIZEto criticize someone or their ideas very severely Donna could tear your work to pieces, and frequently did. → piece
Examples from the Corpus
pull/rip/tear somebody/something to pieces• I had been given the power to obliterate, to steal a body from its grave and tear it to pieces.• And having got under them, he can't half tear them to pieces.• He was thrown from his chariot and his horses tore him to pieces and devoured him.• We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharp claws.• If Hyde returns while I am writing this confession, he will tear it to pieces to annoy me.• They will tear you to pieces.• Brandon Thomas opted to unveil his Aunt away from London fearful that the capital's theatre critics would tear it to pieces. 