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1. Rebuking a person harshly
   - chiding, objurgation, tongue-lashing

1. Censure severely or angrily
   "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car";
   - call on the carpet [US, informal], take to task, rebuke, rag [informal], trounce, lecture, reprimand, jaw [informal], dress down [informal], call down [informal], chide, berate, bawl out [informal], remonstrate, chew out [N. Amer, informal], chew up [N. Amer, informal], have words, lambaste, lambast, ream [N. Amer, informal], wig [Brit, informal]
    
2. Show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
   "He scolded about anything that he thought was wrong";
   - grouch, grumble, moan

Derived forms: scoldings

Type of: complain, criticise [Brit], criticize, damn [informal], kick [informal], knock [informal], kvetch [N. Amer, informal], moan, pick apart, plain [archaic], rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval, sound off

Encyclopedia: Scold