upbraid

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌʌpˈbɹeɪd/ See IPA manual

Freq #133265

Meanings

1

verb
To criticize severely.

How much doth thy kindness upbraid my wickedness!
2

verb
To charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach

Yet do not upbraid us our distress.
3

verb
To treat with contempt.

There also was that mighty monarch laid, Low under all, yet above all in pride; That name of native fire did foul upbraid, And would, as Ammon's son, be magnify'd.
4

verb
To object or urge as a matter of reproach

Those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals when raised: for it doth upbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to criticize severely. admonish animadvert bashbawl outberateberispblame blast

4 verb · to object or urge as a... cast up

Word family

Forms upbraided

Simplified etymology

Upbraid comes from late Old English upbrēdan, “to allege something as grounds for censure.” It incorporated an obsolete sense of braid, “to brandish,” suggesting the image of holding something up for disapproval; the present sense “find fault with” developed in Middle English.

Etymology

From Middle English upbreyden, from Old English upbreġdan, equivalent to up- + braid. Compare English umbraid (“to upbraid”), Icelandic bregða (“to draw, brandish, braid, deviate from, change, break off, upbraid”). See up, and braid (transitive).

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# upbraid

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌʌpˈbɹeɪd/
**Frequency rank:** 133265

## Meanings
1. To criticize severely.
2. To charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach
3. To treat with contempt.
4. To object or urge as a matter of reproach

## Examples
- How much doth thy kindness upbraid my wickedness!
- Yet do not upbraid us our distress.
- There also was that mighty monarch laid, Low under all, yet above all in pride; That name of native fire did foul upbraid, And would, as Ammon's son, be magnify'd.
- Those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals when raised: for it doth upbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them.

## Synonyms
- admonish
- animadvert
- bash
- bawl out
- berate
- berisp
- blame
- blast
- cast up

## Etymology
From Middle English upbreyden, from Old English upbreġdan, equivalent to up- + braid. Compare English umbraid (“to upbraid”), Icelandic bregða (“to draw, brandish, braid, deviate from, change, break off, upbraid”). See up, and braid (transitive).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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