verb [VN]
1 (of an animal) to attack and injure sb by tearing their flesh
2 to touch sb/sth in an unpleasant and/or violent way:
She was mauled by guards at the border.
3 to criticize sth/sb severely and publicly
4 (informal) to defeat sb easily
mauling noun [sing.]:
The play received a mauling from the critics. * They face a mauling by last year's winners.
