Word of the Day

Tuesday July 14, 2009

upbraid [uhp-BRAYD]

transitive verb

To scold or criticize severely; to rebuke.

She doesn't suggest that you upbraid him early on for his SMS habit because you may seem "bossy.

Monica Corcoran, "THE MANNERIST; Get over that grunt", Los Angeles Times, Jul 6, 2008
As promised, and I'm sure keenly awaited in households up and down the land, here are the answers to my fiendish Christmas quiz, although I must first upbraid myself for kicking off with an ambiguous opening question.

Brian Viner, "Eden, Easter and reincarnation, with revelations in full", The Independent, Jan 12, 2008
My love is too delicate and refined to wear those vulgar fetters, which serve only to destroy the merit of voluntary affection, and to upbraid a man incessantly with the articles of compulsion, under which he lies.

Tobias Smollett (1721 - 1771) A Scottish poet and author. The Adventures of Pergrine Pickle (1751)

Origin of the Word

Upbraid derives from Middle English upbreiden, from Old English upbregdan "bring forth as a ground for censure," from up "up" + bregdan "move quickly, intertwine, braid".