objurgate

American  

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

verb (used with object)

objurgated, objurgating

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

---

objurgate British  

/ ˈɒbdʒəˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to scold or reprimand

---

Other Word Forms

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

---

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

See Examples For:

objurgate objurgated objurgating

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 S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

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

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

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

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 George Saintsbury

It has at last come home to the mind of that impetuous and much objurgated dog, Shark, that his destiny in life is to be a boar-hound.

From Brighter Britain! (Volume 1 of 2) or Settler and Maori in Northern New Zealand by William Delisle Hay

There was the usual moment of confusion, as the driver objurgated vociferously, after the manner of his class, and a man jumped out of the vehicle and ran to the horse’s head.

From The Red Symbol by John Ironside

Gerald, thus objurgated, walked through into a large room, low-ceilinged as are all rooms situated on the entresol floor of a Paris house.

From The End of Her Honeymoon by Marie Belloc Lowndes

Occasionally he objurgated Mr. Ledbetter's clumsiness, and urged him to hurry, and several times he appealed to Mr. Ledbetter's watch for information.

From Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

This was repeated to Ahchoogah, who turned and objurgated his people with every appearance of anger.

From The Woman from Outside [on Swan River] by Hulbert Footner

At first the latter involuntarily turned away; but, objurgating such cowardice, he forced himself to gaze at Allen.

From The Happy End by Joseph Hergesheimer

In another case a woman rushed into the street, alternately objurgating and pleading with the spirits, who, she said, were vexing her child which had convulsions. 

From Travels in West Africa by Mary H. Kingsley

Then when he felt himself in the right mood, he feverishly improvized the play, laughing over the jokes, weeping over the pathetic moments and objurgating the evil deeds of the more despicable characters.

From How to Write a Play Letters from Augier, Banville, Dennery, Dumas, Gondinet, Labiche, Legouvé, Pailleron, Sardou, Zola by Brander Matthews

I by rights belonged with these malecontent and objurgating gentlemen; but a chronicler has privileges, and I got leave to count myself into the Eighth Company, my old friend Captain Shumway's.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 08, No. 45, July, 1861 by Various

Buddy drove, with Miss Montague by his side, the while Gray sat alone in the back seat of the car quietly objurgating the follies of youth and mournfully estimating his chances of surviving the night.

From Flowing Gold by Rex Ellingwood Beach

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---