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admonish

[ad-mon-ish]
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verb (used with object)
  1. to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
  2. to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner: The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.
  3. to urge to a duty; remind: to admonish them about their obligations.
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Origin of admonish

1275–1325; late Middle English admonish, amonesche, admonesse, amoness, Middle English a(d)monest (with -t later taken as past participle suffix) < Anglo-French, Old French amonester < Vulgar Latin *admonestāre, apparently derivative of Latin admonēre to remind, give advice to (source of -est- uncertain), equivalent to ad- ad- + monēre to remind, warn
Related formsad·mon·ish·er, nounad·mon·ish·ing·ly, adverbad·mon·ish·ment, nounpre·ad·mon·ish, verb (used with object)un·ad·mon·ished, adjective

Synonyms

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2. rebuke, censure, upbraid.

Synonym study

1. See warn. 2. See reprimand.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

warning, admonitory, exemplary, monitory, reproachful

Examples from the Web for admonishing

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Sometimes Jukes would break in, admonishing hastily: "Look out, sir!"

    Typhoon

    Joseph Conrad

  • Eileen Pederstone looked in admonishing surprise at her father.

  • She swept an admonishing glance towards the others as she did so.

    The Bondwoman

    Marah Ellis Ryan

  • The admonishing domino, hitherto peaceful, now took umbrage.

  • The young mistress of the house seemed to be admonishing, instructing, someone.

    Marriage la mode

    Mrs. Humphry Ward

British Dictionary definitions for admonishing

admonish

verb (tr)
  1. to reprove firmly but not harshly
  2. to advise to do or against doing something; warn; caution
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Derived Formsadmonisher or admonitor, nounadmonition (ˌædməˈnɪʃən), nounadmonitory, adjective

Word Origin

C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin admonestāre (unattested), from Latin admonēre to put one in mind of, from monēre to advise
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for admonishing

admonish

v.

mid-14c., amonesten "remind, urge, exhort, warn, give warning," from Old French amonester (12c.) "urge, encourage, warn," from Vulgar Latin *admonestare, from Latin admonere "bring to mind, remind, suggest;" also "warn, advise, urge," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + monere "advise, warn" (see monitor (n.)).

The -d- was restored on Latin model. The ending was influenced by words in -ish (e.g. astonish, abolish). Related: Admonished; admonishing.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper