objurgate

American  

[ob-jer-geyt, uhb-jur-geyt] / ˈɒb dʒərˌgeɪt, əbˈdʒɜr geɪt /

verb (used with object)

objurgated, objurgating

1. to reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply.

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objurgate British  

/ ɒbˈdʒɜːɡətərɪ, ˈɒbdʒəˌɡeɪt, -trɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to scold or reprimand

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Other Word Forms

• objurgation noun
• objurgative adjective
• objurgatively adverb
• objurgator noun
• objurgatorily adverb
• objurgatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of objurgate

1610–20; < Latin objūrgātus, past participle of objūrgāre to rebuke, equivalent to ob- ob- + jūrgāre, jurigāre to rebuke, equivalent to jūr- (stem of jūs ) law + -ig-, combining form of agere to drive, do + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

How dare you! To objurgate is to scold or reprimand. Don’t objurgate yourself, or beat yourself up if you didn’t know it — it’s an old word that people don’t use much anymore. To scold — or to express your disgust and condemnation of — is to objurgate, although this useful word has become quite rare. You're more likely to hear someone use words like castigate or reprimand these days. Objurgate comes directly from the Latin obiurgare, "to chide or rebuke."

Example Sentences

It is customary to objurgate Thackeray as too moral.

From A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2 To the Close of the 19th Century by Saintsbury, George

If you step on one after nightfall, it will be useless to objurgate.

From A Breeze from the Woods, 2nd Ed. by Bartlett, William Chauncey

Let his fellows grumble and objurgate, said he; they would cringe to him when he became a dragoman, with his pockets stuffed with piastres.

From A Book of Ghosts by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

He found various relishes, condiments, and preserves, and what not, all of which he tasted, some of which he enjoyed, and some of which he seemed to objurgate in choice Kickapoo.

From Stories by American Authors, Volume 3 by Various