rebuke
/rɪˈbjuːk
/verb [with object]
Express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behaviour or actions: she had rebuked him for drinking too much the judge publicly rebuked the jury...
- He was criticized, he was rebuked by others in the Pentagon at the time.
- He would stare at her, apologising for leaving her on the landing that day, yet rebuking her for her behaviour.
- He did and the judge rebuked him for it, but the point got made.
Synonyms
reprimand, reproach, scold, admonish, reprove, remonstrate with, chastise, chide, upbraid, berate, take to task, pull up, castigate, lambaste, read someone the Riot Act, give someone a piece of one's mind, haul over the coals, criticize, censure
informal tell off, give someone a talking-to, give someone a telling-off, dress down, give someone a dressing-down, give someone an earful, give someone a roasting, give someone a rocket, rap, rap over the knuckles, slap someone's wrist, let someone have it, bawl out, give someone hell, come down on, blow up, pitch into, lay into, lace into, give someone a caning, slap down, blast, rag, keelhaul
British informal tick off, have a go at, carpet, monster, give someone a mouthful, tear someone off a strip, give someone what for, give someone a rollicking, wig, give someone a wigging, give someone a row, row
North American informal chew out, ream out
British vulgar slang bollock, give someone a bollocking
North American vulgar slang chew someone's ass, ream someone's ass
dated call down, rate, give someone a rating, trim
rare reprehend, objurgate
noun
An expression of sharp disapproval or criticism: he hadn’t meant it as a rebuke, but Neil flinched...
- The 59-year-old was at the centre of all the wrong publicity six years ago, when his comments about Irish women drew strong rebukes and criticism.
- I should have been sat in front of the television making mental notes and issuing sharp rebukes to his paper thin justifications for war.
- His declaration is the first time a sitting Conservative MP has advocated a complete break with the EU and is sure to provoke a sharp rebuke from party whips.
Synonyms
reprimand, reproach, reproof, scolding, admonishment, admonition, reproval, remonstration, lecture, upbraiding, castigation, lambasting, criticism, censure
informal telling-off, rap, rap over the knuckles, dressing-down, earful, roasting, bawling-out, caning, blast, row
British informal ticking off, carpeting, rollicking, wigging
British vulgar slang bollocking
dated rating
Derivatives
rebuker
- These days, he calls himself a ‘coke rebuker’ and delivers a rap message of recovery and restoration in churches.
- In this case, the rich girl would be right to assume that the critic is below the rebuker in life.
- Besides, why should the rebuker care about someone's else sin.
Origin
Middle English (originally in the sense 'force back, repress'): from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French rebuker, from re- 'back, down' + bukier 'to beat' (originally 'cut down wood', from Old French busche 'log').
Someone who has been rebuked or told off may feel cut down to size—its source is medieval French rebuker, which originally meant ‘to cut down wood’.