Went at

LAID INTO

Think of a phrase that means to attack someone verbally or physically with great force, often used in confrontational situations.

Went at" is a casual way to say someone attacked or criticized aggressively, which matches "laid into." The phrase plays on the idea of physically or verbally charging at someone—like "going at" them with force. It’s a common idiom in English, especially in informal speech, where "laid into" means to attack or scold harshly. The clue keeps it simple by using a shorter, more direct phrase to hint at the longer, more vivid answer.