going-over

The compound noun 'going-over' is a relatively modern English formation, emerging from the combination of the common verb 'go' and the particle 'over'. The literal sense of physically traversing or examining something from top to bottom provided the concrete foundation for its meanings. By the early 20th century, this spatial metaphor evolved into the abstract sense of a meticulous inspection or review. The further semantic extension to mean a harsh verbal reprimand logically follows from the idea of someone being thoroughly examined or criticized.

Structure: going (verb) + over (adverb) - going: From Old English 'gān', meaning "to go, walk, travel." It is the present participle form of the verb 'go', functioning here as a verbal noun (gerund). - over: From Old English 'ofer', meaning "above, across, beyond." It functions as an adverbial particle modifying the action of 'going'.