scold

scold
\ \ [13] Scold was originally a noun, denoting an argumentative or nagging woman – the sort who had a ‘scold’s bridle’ fitted to keep her tongue quiet. It appears to have been borrowed from Old Norse skáldpoet’, the semantic link perhaps being the poet’s role of satirizing or poking fun at people (in Icelandic law in former times the term skáldskapr, literally ‘poetry’, denoted ‘libel in verse’). The origins of skáld itself are not known. Scold began to be used as a verb in the 14th century, at first in the sense ‘argue, nag’. The modern transitive use ‘reprove’ is not recorded until the early 18th century.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • scold — n shrew, vixen, termagant, *virago, amazon scold vb Scold, upbraid, rate, berate, tongue lash, jaw, bawl, chew out, wig, rail, revile, vituperate can all mean to reprove, reproach, or censure angrily, harshly, and more or less abusively. Scold,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • scold´er — scold «skohld», verb, noun. –v.t. to find fault with; blame with angry words: »His brother scolded him for breaking the baseball bat. –v.i. 1. to find fault; talk angrily: »Don t scold so much. 2. Obsolete. to quarrel noisily; brawl. ╂[< noun] …   Useful english dictionary

  • Scold — Scold, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Scolded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scolding}.] [Akin to D. schelden, G. schelten, OHG. sceltan, Dan. skielde.] To find fault or rail with rude clamor; to brawl; to utter harsh, rude, boisterous rebuke; to chide sharply or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scold — Scold, n. 1. One who scolds, or makes a practice of scolding; esp., a rude, clamorous woman; a shrew. [1913 Webster] She is an irksome, brawling scold. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. A scolding; a brawl. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scold — [skəuld US skould] v [T] [Date: 1200 1300; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language] to angrily criticize someone, especially a child, about something they have done = ↑tell off ▪ Do not scold the puppy, but simply and firmly say no. scold… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • scold — scold·er; scold·ing·ly; scold; …   English syllables

  • Scold — Scold, v. t. To chide with rudeness and clamor; to rate; also, to rebuke or reprove with severity. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scold — [skōld] n. [ME scolde < ON skald, poet (prob. of satirical verses)] a person, esp. a woman, who habitually uses abusive language vt. [ME scolden < the n.] to find fault with angrily; rebuke or chide severely vi. 1. to find fault angrily 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • scold — index castigate, denounce (condemn), disapprove (condemn), fault, inveigh, rebuke, remonstrate …   Law dictionary

  • scold — (n.) mid 12c., person of ribald speech, also person fond of abusive language, from O.N. skald poet (see SKALD (Cf. skald)). The sense evolution may reflect the fact that Germanic poets (like their Celtic counterparts) were famously feared for… …   Etymology dictionary

  • scold — [v] find fault with abuse, admonish, asperse, berate, blame, castigate, cavil, censure, chasten, chide, criticize, denounce, disparage, dress down*, expostulate, give a talking to*, jump on*, keep aft*, lay down the law*, lecture, light into*,… …   New thesaurus

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