expostulate

Expostulate is defined as to try to reason with someone while showing a lot of disagreement.

(verb)

An example of expostulate is to try to prove the existence of God to an atheist.

See expostulate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to reason with a person earnestly, objecting to that person's actions or intentions; remonstrate (with)

Origin: < L expostulatus, pp. of expostulare, to demand vehemently, require < ex-, intens. + postulare: see postulate

Related Forms:

See expostulate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intransitive verb ex·pos·tu·lat·ed, ex·pos·tu·lat·ing, ex·pos·tu·lates

To reason earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct; remonstrate. See Synonyms at object.

Origin:

Origin: Latin expostulāre, expostulāt-

Origin: : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex-

Origin: + postulāre, to demand; see prek- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

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