Definitions

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

  • transitive verb To reprove sharply; reproach. synonym: scold.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To reproach for some fault or offense; charge reproachfully; reproach: regularly followed by with or for (rarely of) before the thing imputed.
  • To offer as an accusation or charge against some person or thing: with to before the person or thing blamed.
  • Specifically, to reprove with severity; chide.
  • To bring reproach on; be a reproach to.
  • To make a subject of reproach or chiding.
  • Synonyms Mock, Flout, etc. See taunt.
  • To utter upbraidings or reproaches.
  • noun The act of upbraiding; reproach; contumely; abuse.

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

  • intransitive verb To utter upbraidings.
  • noun obsolete The act of reproaching; contumely.
  • intransitive verb To charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach; to cast something in the teeth of; -- followed by with or for, and formerly of, before the thing imputed.
  • intransitive verb To reprove severely; to rebuke; to chide.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To treat with contempt.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To object or urge as a matter of reproach; to cast up; -- with to before the person.

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

  • noun obsolete The act of reproaching; contumely.
  • verb transitive To criticize severely.
  • verb archaic To charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach; to cast something in the teeth of; – followed by with or for, and formerly of, before the thing imputed.
  • verb To reprove severely; to rebuke; to chide.
  • verb obsolete To treat with contempt.
  • verb obsolete To object or urge as a matter of reproach; to cast up; – with to before the person.
  • verb archaic, intransitive To utter upbraidings.
  • verb Northern England To rise on the stomach; vomit; retch.

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

  • verb express criticism towards

Etymologies

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

[Middle English upbreiden, from Old English ūpbrēdan, to bring forward as a ground for censure : ūp-, up- + bregdan, to turn, lay hold of.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English upbreiden, from upp ("up") + bregdan ("to draw, twist, weave; the kindred"); Icelandic bregða ("to draw, brandish, braid, deviate from, change, break off, upbraid"). See up, and braid (transitive).

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Examples

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  • "I didn't want to argue with Bill, or upbraid him for his unfaithfulness." -Club Dead, by Charlaine Harris

    February 5, 2011

  • verb: to reproach; to scold

    Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop"—in the end he had to upbraid the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

    October 11, 2016