Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To reason earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct; remonstrate. synonym: object.
  • intransitive verb To say in protest; object.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To reason earnestly with a person against something that he intends to do or has done: followed by with before the person, by upon or on before the thing.
  • Synonyms Expostulate with, Reprove, Rebuke, Reprimand, etc. See censure, and list under remonstrate.
  • To discuss; examine into; reason about.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To discuss; to examine.
  • intransitive verb To reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of his conduct, representing the wrong he has done or intends, and urging him to make redress or to desist; to remonstrate; -- followed by with.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To protest or remonstrate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin expostulāre, expostulāt- : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex– + postulāre, to demand; see prek- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

First attested circa 16th century, from Latin expostulatus, past participle of expostulo, "demand or claim," from ex- + postulo, "demand".

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Examples

  • Only if he had that kind of expostulate during football games.

    Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009

  • Only if he had that kind of expostulate during football games.

    Deuce of Davenport | Sports News, Commentary, Humor, Videos: Tony ... admin 2009

  • The expostulate would case with 4th & fourteen from the VU 43, as great as Nova would punt the round behind to UNH.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • "Do we know anyone with a automobile who could expostulate me down there? we mean, it's not which far of a drive ...."

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • "Do we know anyone with a automobile who could expostulate me down there? we mean, it's not which far of a drive ...."

    Nevermore: Welcome to Baltimore admin 2009

  • With Nova starting upon the own 23, Whi! tney wou ld lead Nova upon an eight-play 20-yard expostulate which would consume the small some-more than 4 minutes.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • It was in vain to expostulate with the palefaced Spectre who directed our course, I found myself surrounded by a hubbub of voices, and trunks of old clothes, (you know I am always busy in that way in my sleep) and the roar of the Sea-beach, mingled with loud discharges of immense Artillery place'd on Cliffs over our heads.

    Letter 289 2009

  • Novas expostulate would begin during the 23, as great as the offense would pierce the round eight yards in 3 plays, afterwards punt.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • The generous nature of Safie was outraged by this command; she attempted to expostulate with her father, but he left her angrily, reiterating his tyrannical mandate.

    Chapter 14 2010

  • Receiving the round initial in the third quarter, the Rams would put together the 10-play, 61-yard expostulate immoderate 5 mins as great as finishing it off with the 6-yard TD pass from Stefkovich to So, TE, Joe Migliarese (Blue Bell, Pa.) to tighten the measure to twenty-nine twenty-eight TU.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

Comments

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  • From the story, man of la Mancha... meaning to declare passionately, loudly,

    June 13, 2012

  • Holmes and Watson would do this while working on their cases.

    July 26, 2012