scold

²scold

verb

Definition of SCOLD

intransitive verb

1

obsolete : to quarrel noisily

2

: to find fault noisily or angrily

transitive verb

: to censure severely or angrily : rebuke

— scold·er noun

Examples of SCOLD

1. “You should never have done that,” she scolded.
2. <he scolded the kids for not cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen>

First Known Use of SCOLD

14th century

Related to SCOLD

Synonyms: baste, bawl out, berate, call down, castigate, chastise, chew out, dress down, flay, hammer, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against), rant (at), rate, ream (out), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, score, tongue-lash, upbraid, lay into, read the riot act (to), take to task

Related Words: admonish, chide, remonstrate (with), reprove; abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis (also diss) [slang], excoriate, fault, harangue, knock, lace (into), lash, pan, reprehend, revile, scourge, slam, vituperate; belittle, disparage, mock, put down; ridicule, scoff, scorn

Near Antonyms: approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; extol (also extoll), laud, praise

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Synonym Discussion of SCOLD

scold, upbraid, berate, rail, revile, vituperate mean to reproach angrily and abusively. scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly <angrily scolding the children>. upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds <upbraided her assistants for poor research>. berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding <berated continually by an overbearing boss>. rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating <railed loudly at their insolence>. revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred <an alleged killer reviled in the press>. vituperate suggests a violent reviling <was vituperated for betraying his friends>.