reprimand Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an act or expression of criticism and censure
    reproof; reproval; reprehension; rebuke.
    • he had to take the rebuke with a smile on his face
  2. verb rebuke formally
    criminate; censure.
  3. verb censure severely or angrily
    call on the carpet; rag; dress down; remonstrate; chew out; take to task; call down; jaw; lambast; trounce; scold; chide; berate; chew up; have words; rebuke; reproof; lecture; bawl out; lambaste.
    • The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
    • The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
    • The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup

WordNet

Rep"ri*mand noun
Etymology
F. réprimande, fr. L. reprimendus, reprimenda, that is to be checked or suppressed, fr. reprimere to check, repress; pref. re- re + premere to press. See Press, and cf. Repress.
Definitions
  1. Severe or formal reproof; reprehension, private or public.
    Goldsmith gave his landlady a sharp reprimand for her treatment of him. Macaulay.
Rep"ri*mand transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. F. réprimander. See Reprimand, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Reprimanded; present participle & verbal noun Reprimanding
Definitions
  1. To reprove severely; to reprehend; to chide for a fault; to consure formally.
    Germanicus was severely reprimanded by Tiberius for traveling into Egypt without his permission. Arbuthnot.
  2. To reprove publicly and officially, in execution of a sentence; as, the court ordered him to be reprimanded. Syn. -- To reprove; reprehend; chide; rebuke; censure; blame. See Reprove.

Webster 1913