objurgate (2009-08-28)

Part of Speech: verb

Pronunciation: ['ahb-jur-geyt]

Definition: To rebuke harshly.

Usage: Take advantage of all the subtle semantic differences in all these near synonyms while avoiding cliches. "He didn't just berate me, he completely objurgated me!" "I prefer dad's objurgation to Mom's berating me over the condition of my room."

Suggested Usage: Cliches like "chew out", "cuss out", "dress down", "call on the carpet" in contemporary American English have all but obliterated more subtly articulated terms like "censure", "chide", "reproach", "upbraid", "rebuke", "scold", "berate", and "objurgate".

Etymology: Latin objurgare "to scold, rebuke" from ob- "to, against" and jurgo "quarrel, dispute, rebuke" itself probably related to jus, jur- "law, right" from which we derive "justice" and "jury".