Library / English Dictionary

REPRIMAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An act or expression of criticism and censure

Example:

he had to take the rebuke with a smile on his face

Synonyms:

rebuke; reprehension; reprimand; reproof; reproval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("reprimand" is a kind of...):

criticism; unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reprimand"):

riot act (a vigorous reprimand)

chiding; objurgation; scolding; tongue-lashing (rebuking a person harshly)

what for (a strong reprimand)

bawling out; castigation; chewing out; dressing down; earful; going-over; upbraiding (a severe scolding)

berating; blowing up (a severe rebuke)

reproach (a mild rebuke or criticism)

lecture; speech; talking to (a lengthy rebuke)

chastening; chastisement; correction (a rebuke for making a mistake)

admonishment; admonition; monition (a firm rebuke)

Derivation:

reprimand (rebuke formally)

reprimand (censure severely or angrily)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Rebuke formally

Synonyms:

censure; criminate; reprimand

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "reprimand" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "reprimand"):

animadvert (express blame or censure or make a harshly critical remark)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

reprimand (an act or expression of criticism and censure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Censure severely or angrily

Example:

The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup

Synonyms:

bawl out; berate; call down; call on the carpet; chew out; chew up; chide; dress down; have words; jaw; lambast; lambaste; lecture; rag; rebuke; remonstrate; reprimand; scold; take to task; trounce

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "reprimand" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "reprimand"):

castigate; chasten; chastise; correct; objurgate (censure severely)

brush down; tell off (reprimand)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

reprimand (an act or expression of criticism and censure)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Her days were spent in a kind of slow bustle; all was busy without getting on, always behindhand and lamenting it, without altering her ways; wishing to be an economist, without contrivance or regularity; dissatisfied with her servants, without skill to make them better, and whether helping, or reprimanding, or indulging them, without any power of engaging their respect.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

On reaching the bedroom, we heard the voice of Miss Scatcherd: she was examining drawers; she had just pulled out Helen Burns's, and when we entered Helen was greeted with a sharp reprimand, and told that to-morrow she should have half-a-dozen of untidily folded articles pinned to her shoulder.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

This state of things should have been to me a paradise of peace, accustomed as I was to a life of ceaseless reprimand and thankless fagging; but, in fact, my racked nerves were now in such a state that no calm could soothe, and no pleasure excite them agreeably.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)