Word Study
reproach
CIDE DICTIONARY
reproach, v. t. [F. reprocher, OF. reprochier, (assumed) LL. reproriare; L. pref. re- again, against, back + prope near; hence, originally, to bring near to, throw in one's teeth. Cf. Approach.].
- To come back to, or come home to, as a matter of blame; to bring shame or disgrace upon; to disgrace. [1913 Webster]"I thought your marriage fit; else imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life." [1913 Webster] - To attribute blame to; to allege something disgraceful against; to charge with a fault; to censure severely or contemptuously; to upbraid. [1913 Webster]"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ." [1913 Webster]"That this newcomer, Shame,
There sit not, and reproach us as unclean." [1913 Webster]"Mezentius . . . with his ardor warmed
His fainting friends, reproached their shameful flight.
Repelled the victors." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To upbraid; censure; blame; chide; rebuke; condemn; revile; vilify.
- The act of reproaching; censure mingled with contempt; contumelious or opprobrious language toward any person; abusive reflections; as, severe reproach. [1913 Webster]"No reproaches even, even when pointed and barbed with the sharpest wit, appeared to give him pain." [1913 Webster]"Give not thine heritage to reproach." [1913 Webster]
- A cause of blame or censure; shame; disgrace. [1913 Webster]
- An object of blame, censure, scorn, or derision. [1913 Webster]"Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Disrepute; discredit; dishonor; opprobrium; invective; contumely; reviling; abuse; vilification; scurrility; insolence; insult; scorn; contempt; ignominy; shame; scandal;; disgrace; infamy.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
reproach, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 express disapproval to (a person) for a fault etc.
2 scold; rebuke; censure.
3 archaic rebuke (an offence).
--n.
1 a rebuke or censure (heaped reproaches on them).
2 (often foll. by to) a thing that brings disgrace or discredit (their behaviour is a reproach to us all).
3 a disgraced or discredited state (live in reproach and ignominy).
4 (in pl.) RC Ch. a set of antiphons and responses for Good Friday representing the reproaches of Christ to his people.
--v.tr.
1 express disapproval to (a person) for a fault etc.
2 scold; rebuke; censure.
3 archaic rebuke (an offence).
--n.
1 a rebuke or censure (heaped reproaches on them).
2 (often foll. by to) a thing that brings disgrace or discredit (their behaviour is a reproach to us all).
3 a disgraced or discredited state (live in reproach and ignominy).
4 (in pl.) RC Ch. a set of antiphons and responses for Good Friday representing the reproaches of Christ to his people.
Idiom
above (or beyond) reproach perfect.
Derivative
reproachable adj. reproacher n. reproachingly adv.
Etymology
ME f. OF reproche(r) f. Rmc (as RE-, L prope near)
THESAURUS
reproach
accusal, accusation, accuse, accusing, admonish, admonishment, admonition, allegation, allege, allegement, anathematize, anathemize, animadvert on, arraign, arraignment, article, aspersion, attaint, badge of infamy, bar sinister, baton, bend sinister, bill of particulars, black eye, black mark, blame, blot, blur, book, brand, bring accusation, bring charges, bring into discredit, bring low, bring shame upon, bring to book, bringing of charges, bringing to book, broad arrow, burning shame, byword, byword of reproach, call down, call to account, cast blame upon, cast reflection upon, cast reproach upon, castigation, censure, champain, charge, chastisement, chide, chiding, cite, complain, complain against, complaint, condemn, correction, count, cry down, cry out against, cry out on, cry shame upon, damn, debase, decry, defrock, degrade, delation, denounce, denouncement, denunciate, denunciation, deplume, dirty shame, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparagement, displume, fasten on, fasten upon, finger, fulminate against, hang something on, humiliate, humiliation, impeach, impeachment, implication, imply, impugn, imputation, impute, impute shame to, indict, indictment, inform against, inform on, information, innuendo, insinuate, insinuation, inveigh against, lawsuit, lay charges, laying of charges, lecture, lesson, lodge a complaint, lodge a plaint, low-down dirty shame, mark of Cain, objurgation, onus, pillory, pillorying, pin on, plaint, point champain, prefer charges, press charges, prosecution, put on report, put to shame, rap, rating, rebuke, reflect discredit upon, reflect upon, reflection, report, reprehend, reprehension, reprimand, reprobate, reprobation, reproof, reproval, scandal, scolding, sermon, shake up, shame, slur, smear, smirch, smudge, smutch, spanking, spot, stain, stigma, stigmatism, stigmatization, suit, taint, take to task, tarnish, task, taunt with, tax, taxing, tick off, true bill, twit, unfrock, unspoken accusation, upbraiding, veiled accusation, wigROGET THESAURUS
reproach
Disrepute
N disrepute, discredit, ill repute, bad repute, bad name, bad odor, bad favor, ill name, ill odor, ill favor, disapprobation, ingloriousness, derogation, abasement, debasement, abjectness, degradation, dedecoration, a long farewell to all my greatness, odium, obloquy, opprobrium, ignominy, dishonor, disgrace, shame, humiliation, scandal, baseness, vileness, turpitude, infamy, tarnish, taint, defilement, pollution, stain, blot, spot, blur, stigma, brand, reproach, imputation, slur, crying shame, burning shame, scandalum magnatum, badge of infamy, blot in one's escutcheon, bend sinister, bar sinister, champain, point champain, byword of reproach, Ichabod, argumentum ad verecundiam, sense of shame, disgraced, blown upon, shorn of its beams, shorn of one's glory, overcome, downtrodden, loaded with shame, in bad repute, out of repute, out of favor, out of fashion, out of countenance, at a discount, under a cloud, under an eclipse, unable to show one's face, in the shade, in the background, out at elbows, down at the elbows, down in the world, inglorious, nameless, renownless, obscure, unknown to fame, unnoticed, unnoted, unhonored, unglorified, shameful, disgraceful, discreditable, disreputable, despicable, questionable, unbecoming, unworthy, derogatory, degrading, humiliating, infra dignitatem, dedecorous, scandalous, infamous, too bad, unmentionable, ribald, opprobrious, errant, shocking, outrageous, notorious, ignominious, scrubby, dirty, abject, vile, beggarly, pitiful, low, mean, shabby base, to one's shame be it spoken, Int, fie!, shame!, for shame!, proh pudor!, O tempora!, O mores!, ough!, sic transit gloria mundi!.Disapprobation
N disapprobation, disapproval, improbation, disesteem, disvaluation, displacency, odium, dislike, dispraise, discommendation, blame, censure, obloquy, detraction, disparagement, depreciation, denunciation, condemnation, ostracism, black list, animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism, sardonic grin, sardonic laugh, sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo, bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment, satire, sneer, taunt, cavil, carping, censoriousness, hypercriticism, reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation, reproach, rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming, correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec, rebuff, slap, slap on the face, home thrust, hit, frown, scowl, black look, diatribe, jeremiad, jeremiade, tirade, philippic, clamor, outcry, hue and cry, hiss, hissing, sibilance, sibilation, catcall, execration, chiding, upbraiding, exprobation, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely, hard words, cutting words, bitter words, evil-speaking, bad language, personality, disapproving, scandalized, disparaging, condemnatory, damnatory, denunciatory, reproachful, abusive, objurgatory, clamorous, vituperative, defamatory, satirical, sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, dry, sharp, cutting, biting, severe, withering, trenchant, hard upon, censorious, critical, captious, carping, hypercritical, fastidious, sparing of praise, grudging praise, disapproved, chid, in bad odor, blown upon, unapproved, unblest, at a discount, exploded, weighed in the balance and found wanting, blameworthy, reprehensible, to blame, worthy of blame, answerable, uncommendable, exceptionable, not to be thought of, bad, vicious, unlamented, unbewailed, unpitied, with a wry face, reproachfully, Int, it is too bad!, it won't do, it will never do!, marry come up!, Oh!, come!, 'sdeath!, forbid it Heaven!, God forbid, Heaven forbid!, out upon, fie upon it!, away with!, tut!, O tempora!, O mores!, shame!, fie, fie for shame!, out on you!, tell it not in Gath!.VB disapprove, dislike, lament, object to, take exception to, be scandalized at, think ill of, view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes, nil admirari, disvalue, improbate, frown upon, look grave, bend the brows, knit the brows, shake the head at, shrug the shoulders, turn up the nose, look askance, look black upon, look with an evil eye, make a wry face, make a wry mouth at, set one's face against, dispraise, discommend, disparage, deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of, condemn, blame, lay blame upon, cast blame upon, censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn, remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate, reprehend, chide, admonish, berate, betongue, bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order, take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book, read a lesson, read a lecture to, rebuke, correct, reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete, overhaul, give it one, give it one finely, gibbet, accuse, impeach, denounce, hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration, expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize, show up, pull up, take up, cry 'shame' upon, be outspoken, raise a hue and cry against, execrate, exprobate, speak daggers, vituperate, abuse, abuse like a pickpocket, scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of, jaw, rail, rail at, rail in good set terms, bark at, anathematize, call names, call by hard names, call by ugly names, avile, revile, vilify, vilipend, bespatter, backbite, clapperclaw, rave against, thunder against, fulminate against, load with reproaches, exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against, decry, cry down, run down, frown down, clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist, draw up a round robin, sign a round robin, animadvert upon, reflect upon, glance at, cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon, insinuate, damn with faint praise, hint a fault and hesitate dislike, not to be able to say much for, scoff at, point at, twit, taunt, sneer at, satirize, lampoon, defame, depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, take exception, cavil, peck at, nibble at, carp at, be censorious, pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat, make a fuss about, take down, take down a peg, set down, snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles, throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden, have a fling, have a snap at, have words with, pluck a crow with, give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue, incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt, get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears, take blame, stand corrected, have to answer for.
Accusation
VB accuse, charge, tax, impute, twit, taunt with, reproach, brand with reproach, stigmatize, slur, cast a stone at, cast a slur on, incriminate, criminate, inculpate, implicate, call to account, take to blame, take to task, put in the black book, inform against, indict, denounce, arraign, impeach, appeach, have up, show up, pull up, challenge, cite, lodge a complaint, prosecute, bring an action against, blow upon, charge with, saddle with, lay to one's door, lay charge, lay the blame on, bring home to, cast in one's teeth, throw in one's teeth, cast the first stone at, have a rod in pickle for, keep a rod in pickle for, have a crow to pluck with, trump up a charge.For further exploring for "reproach" in Webster Dictionary Online