skewer, tweak

assail, attack, blast, clobber, slam, slash

nick (at), snipe (at)

beef, bellyache, bitch, carp, cavil, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grouse, growl, grumble, kick, kvetch, moan, murmur, mutter, niggle, quibble, whine

admonish, chide, drub, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove

berate, castigate, crucify, excoriate, flay, gibbet, hammer, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lash, pillory, scold, upbraid

bad-mouth, belittle, decry, deride, discommend, disparage, put down