Adjacent Words

Reproach definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REPROACH, v.t. [L. prox, in proximus.]
1. To censure in terms of opprobrium or contempt.
Mezentius with his ardor warm'd his fainting friends, reproach'd their shameful flight, repell'd the victors.
2. To charge with a fault in severe language.
That shame there sit not, and reproach us as unclean.
3. To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing. A man's conscience will reproach him for a criminal, mean or unworthy action.
4. To treat with scorn or contempt. Luke 6.
REPROACH, n.
1. Censure mingled with contempt or derision; contumelious or opprobrious language towards any person; abusive reflections; as foul-mouthed reproach.
2. Shame; infamy; disgrace.
Give not thine heritage to reproach. Joel 2. Isaiah 4.
3. Object of contempt, scorn or derision.
Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we may be no more a reproach. Nehemiah 2.
4. That which is the cause of shame or disgrace. Genesis 30.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a mild rebuke or criticism; "words of reproach"
2: disgrace or shame; "he brought reproach upon his family" v
1: express criticism towards; "The president reproached the general for his irresponsible behavior" [syn: reproach, upbraid]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English reproche, from Anglo-French, from reprocher to reproach, from Vulgar Latin *repropiare to bring close, show, from Latin re- + prope near — more at approach Date: 14th century 1. an expression of rebuke or disapproval 2. the act or action of reproaching or disapproving <was beyond reproach> 3. a. a cause or occasion of blame, discredit, or disgrace b. discredit, disgrace 4. obsolete one subjected to censure or scorn • reproachful adjective • reproachfully adverb • reproachfulness noun II. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. to express disappointment in or displeasure with (a person) for conduct that is blameworthy or in need of amendment 2. to make (something) a matter of reproach 3. to bring into discredit Synonyms: see reprove • reproachable adjective • reproacher noun • reproachingly adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. 1 express disapproval to (a person) for a fault etc. 2 scold; rebuke; censure. 3 archaic rebuke (an offence). --n. 1 a rebuke or censure (heaped reproaches on them). 2 (often foll. by to) a thing that brings disgrace or discredit (their behaviour is a reproach to us all). 3 a disgraced or discredited state (live in reproach and ignominy). 4 (in pl.) RC Ch. a set of antiphons and responses for Good Friday representing the reproaches of Christ to his people. Phrases and idioms: above (or beyond) reproach perfect. Derivatives: reproachable adj. reproacher n. reproachingly adv. Etymology: ME f. OF reproche(r) f. Rmc (as RE-, L prope near)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reproach Re*proach", n. [F. reproche. See Reproach, v.] 1. The act of reproaching; censure mingled with contempt; contumelious or opprobrious language toward any person; abusive reflections; as, severe reproach. No reproaches even, even when pointed and barbed with the sharpest wit, appeared to give him pain. --Macaulay. Give not thine heritage to reproach. --Joel ii. 17. 2. A cause of blame or censure; shame; disgrace. 3. An object of blame, censure, scorn, or derision. Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. --Neh. ii. 17. Syn: Disrepute; discredit; dishonor; opprobrium; invective; contumely; reviling; abuse; vilification; scurrility; insolence; insult; scorn; contempt; ignominy; shame; scandal;; disgrace; infamy.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reproach Re*proach" (r?-pr?ch"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reproached (-pr?cht"); p. pr. & vb. n. Reproaching.] [F. reprocher, OF. reprochier, (assumed) LL. reproriare; L. pref. re- again, against, back + prope near; hence, originally, to bring near to, throw in one's teeth. Cf. Approach.] 1. To come back to, or come home to, as a matter of blame; to bring shame or disgrace upon; to disgrace. [Obs.] I thought your marriage fit; else imputation, For that he knew you, might reproach your life. --Shak. 2. To attribute blame to; to allege something disgracefull against; to charge with a fault; to censure severely or contemptuously; to upbraid. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. --1 Peter iv. 14. That this newcomer, Shame, There sit not, and reproach us as unclean. --Milton. Mezentius . . . with his ardor warmed His fainting friends, reproached their shameful flight. Repelled the victors. --Dryden. Syn: To upbraid; censure; blame; chide; rebuke; condemn; revile; vilify.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(reproaches, reproaching, reproached) 1. If you reproach someone, you say or show that you are disappointed, upset, or angry because they have done something wrong. She is quick to reproach anyone who doesn't live up to her own high standards... She had not even reproached him for breaking his promise. VERB: V n, V n for -ing/n 2. If you look at or speak to someone with reproach, you show or say that you are disappointed, upset, or angry because they have done something wrong. He looked at her with reproach... Women in public life must be beyond reproach. N-VAR 3. If you reproach yourself, you think with regret about something you have done wrong. You've no reason to reproach yourself, no reason to feel shame... We begin to reproach ourselves for not having been more careful. = blame VERB: V pron-refl, V pron-refl for -ing/n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Censure, blame, reprove, rebuke, reprimand, reprehend, upbraid. 2. Revile, vilify, defame, asperse, condemn, abuse, speak ill of, accuse, discredit, disparage, traduce. II. n. 1. Censure, reproof, disapprobation, disapproval, blame, invective, upbraiding, condemnation, reprobation, remonstrance, reprehension, expostulation, rebuke, reprimand, railing, contumely, reviling, abuse, vilification, scurrility, insolence, scorn, contempt. 2. Dishonor, disgrace, shame, disrepute, obloquy, opprobrium, odium, scandal, ignominy, infamy, abasement, indignity, insult. 3. Dishonor, disgrace, shame, discredit, scorn, scandal, offence.

Moby Thesaurus

accusal, accusation, accuse, accusing, admonish, admonishment, admonition, allegation, allege, allegement, anathematize, anathemize, animadvert on, arraign, arraignment, article, aspersion, attaint, badge of infamy, bar sinister, baton, bend sinister, bill of particulars, black eye, black mark, blame, blot, blur, book, brand, bring accusation, bring charges, bring into discredit, bring low, bring shame upon, bring to book, bringing of charges, bringing to book, broad arrow, burning shame, byword, byword of reproach, call down, call to account, cast blame upon, cast reflection upon, cast reproach upon, castigation, censure, champain, charge, chastisement, chide, chiding, cite, complain, complain against, complaint, condemn, correction, count, cry down, cry out against, cry out on, cry shame upon, damn, debase, decry, defrock, degrade, delation, denounce, denouncement, denunciate, denunciation, deplume, dirty shame, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparagement, displume, fasten on, fasten upon, finger, fulminate against, hang something on, humiliate, humiliation, impeach, impeachment, implication, imply, impugn, imputation, impute, impute shame to, indict, indictment, inform against, inform on, information, innuendo, insinuate, insinuation, inveigh against, lawsuit, lay charges, laying of charges, lecture, lesson, lodge a complaint, lodge a plaint, low-down dirty shame, mark of Cain, objurgation, onus, pillory, pillorying, pin on, plaint, point champain, prefer charges, press charges, prosecution, put on report, put to shame, rap, rating, rebuke, reflect discredit upon, reflect upon, reflection, report, reprehend, reprehension, reprimand, reprobate, reprobation, reproof, reproval, scandal, scolding, sermon, shake up, shame, slur, smear, smirch, smudge, smutch, spanking, spot, stain, stigma, stigmatism, stigmatization, suit, taint, take to task, tarnish, task, taunt with, tax, taxing, tick off, true bill, twit, unfrock, unspoken accusation, upbraiding, veiled accusation, wig