expostulate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to reason or protest earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct them, usually followed by with

   She began to expostulate with the officials over their reckless decision.

From Latin expostulare ('to demand urgently, complain, or remonstrate'), formed from ex- (an intensifier here) + postulare ('to ask, demand'). Although its modern spelling resembles postulate, expostulate developed the specialized sense of earnest protest or persuasion.

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