Wiktionary
lay into
vb. 1 (context colloquial English) To beat up. 2 (context colloquial English) To berate; to scold.
WordNet
lay into
v. hit violently, as in an attack [syn: lam into, tear into, lace into, pitch into]
Usage examples of "lay into".
The monks of the Cloud Temple and the monks of the Star Temple lay into each other furiously, their lust for the gold fuelled by their bitter rivalry.
So Sean and I proceeded to really lay into the handjobs, big time.
No lovelorn, aging female would lay into her young lover that way in public.
I don't reckon it was his fault this army didn't lay into the southrons at Summer Mountain.