[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/scold/)

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# scold

verb (scold, scolds, scolded, scolding); noun scolding (a scolding)

«scold» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To scold someone is to speak to them angrily because they have done something wrong. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#m1)
2. A scolding is an angry telling-off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#m2)
3. (old-fashioned) A scold was a person, especially a woman, who often nagged or complained. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and stories, parents and teachers scold children for being naughty; it tells the reader someone is in trouble but not punished harshly. In the UK people more often say "tell off", in Australia "growl at". Phrases: "scold someone for", "get a scolding", "a good scolding".

### Examples

- Mum scolded me for leaving my muddy boots on the carpet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x1)
- The teacher scolded the boys for running in the corridor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x2)
- I got a scolding for being late home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x3)
- The farmer scolded the dog for chasing the sheep. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x4)
- "You should know better!" scolded Grandma. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x5)
- (Australia, informal) Dad growled at us — he really scolded us for fighting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x6)
- The woman scolded the old man. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: scolded. Pattern: "scold someone for doing something". Everyday synonyms: tell off (UK), give out to (Ireland, informal: "Mam gave out to me"), chew out (US, informal). It is milder than punish: scolding is only words.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «scold» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scold/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«scold» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scold.html) on Mova free.