objurgate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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
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
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 Footner, Hulbert
See "Dramatic Idyls", "Pan and Luna" * * * Solomon has objurgated the invincibly garrulous woman.
From Hints for Lovers by Haultain, T. Arnold (Theodore Arnold)
“Dost intend to put a finish to thy intrusion upon the privacy of females?” objurgated Miss Drinker; and at the question Brereton flung out of the room without more words.
From Janice Meredith by Ford, Paul Leicester
“Listen to reason, won’t you?” he objurgated, as, this time, the reason he referred to was the introduction of the ring clear through both nostrils, higher up, and through the central dividing wall of cartilage.
From Michael, Brother of Jerry by London, Jack
The epistolary art is said to be especially feminine, and the novelists and essayists are full of compliments to the sex, which is alternately praised and objurgated, as man feels well or ill.
From Manners and Social Usages by Sherwood, Mrs. John M. E. W.
That proved conclusively that the mysterious gunboat flying the Cuban flag was in no humour to be trifled with; and the Spanish captain, objurgating vehemently, rang down for his engines to stop.
From The Cruise of the Thetis A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection by Cuneo, Cyrus
They go on, debating, denouncing, objurgating: loud weltering Chaos, which devours itself.
From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas
The sailor-man, who had been objurgating straight ahead all this time, now weighed anchor and put the boat in towards shore.
From Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 14, July 2, 1870 by Various
In another case I saw a woman who rushed into the street objurgating the spirits, and in the next breath humbly supplicating them, who, she said, were vexing her child that was lying in convulsions.
From Fetichism in West Africa Forty Years' Observations of Native Customs and Superstitions by Nassau, Robert Hamill
Mentally objurgating Sophy, and with an unpleasant impression in his mind of the unknown neighbor who had been helping Miss Sally in his place, he nevertheless tried to collect himself gallantly.
From Sally Dows by Harte, Bret
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
