Cryptic crossword clue
Don’t start crying, son, they’re meant to tell you off 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word EARFULS

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
E
A
R
F
U
L
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "they’re meant to tell you off" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they’re meant to tell you off = earfuls.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does EARFULS mean?

EARFULS noun
  1. An angry reprimand, castigation or telling off
  2. Intimate gossip

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