REPROACH

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does reproach mean? 

• REPROACH (noun)
  The noun REPROACH has 2 senses:

1. a mild rebuke or criticism

2. disgrace or shame

  Familiarity information: REPROACH used as a noun is rare.

• REPROACH (verb)
  The verb REPROACH has 1 sense:

1. express criticism towards

  Familiarity information: REPROACH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REPROACH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A mild rebuke or criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

words of reproach

Hypernyms ("reproach" is a kind of...):

rebuke; reprehension; reprimand; reproof; reproval (an act or expression of criticism and censure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reproach"):

self-reproach; self-reproof (the act of blaming yourself)

blame; rap (a reproach for some lapse or misdeed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Disgrace or shame

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

he brought reproach upon his family

Hypernyms ("reproach" is a kind of...):

disgrace; ignominy; shame (a state of dishonor)

• REPROACH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they reproach    ... he / she / it reproaches   
Past simple: reproached   
Past participle: reproached   
-ing form: reproaching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Express criticism towards

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

reproach; upbraid

Context example:

The president reproached the general for his irresponsible behavior

Hypernyms (to "reproach" is one way to...):

accuse; criminate; impeach; incriminate (bring an accusation against; level a charge against)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

reproacher (someone who finds fault or imputes blame)

 Context examples 

You take up an idea, Mrs. Weston, and run away with it; as you have many a time reproached me with doing.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Anything like a tangible reproach gave me courage at once.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

She told him how she had traced him, reproached him.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I'll do my part, and have nothing to reproach myself with, and stooping down, she softly kissed her husband on the forehead.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

With strong concern, and with many reproaches for not being called to their aid, did Mrs. Jennings hear in the morning of what had passed.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

If the latter, may it be taken as some sign of self-reproach for duty neglected?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Catherine thought this reproach equally strange and unkind.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

It was over, and she had escaped without reproaches and without detection.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Anne smiled, and let it pass. It was too pleasing a blunder for a reproach.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)