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.

---

objurgate British  

/ ɒbˈdʒɜːɡətərɪ, ˈɒbdʒəˌɡeɪt, -trɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to scold or reprimand

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

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."