SCOLD

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does scold mean? 

• SCOLD (noun)
  The noun SCOLD has 1 sense:

1. someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault

  Familiarity information: SCOLD used as a noun is very rare.

• SCOLD (verb)
  The verb SCOLD has 2 senses:

1. censure severely or angrily

2. show one's unhappiness or critical attitude

  Familiarity information: SCOLD used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCOLD (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

common scold; nag; nagger; scold; scolder

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

disagreeable person; unpleasant person (a person who is not pleasant or agreeable)

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

harridan (a scolding (even vicious) old woman)

Derivation:

scold (show one's unhappiness or critical attitude)

• SCOLD (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they scold    ... he / she / it scolds   
Past simple: scolded   
Past participle: scolded   
-ing form: scolding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Censure severely or angrily

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bawl out; berate; call down; call on the carpet; chew out; chew up; chide; dress down; have words; jaw; lambast; lambaste; lecture; rag; rebuke; remonstrate; reprimand; scold; take to task; trounce

Context example:

The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup

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

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scold"):

castigate; chasten; chastise; correct; objurgate (censure severely)

brush down; tell off (reprimand)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot scold Sue

Derivation:

scolder (someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault)

scolding (rebuking a person harshly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Show one's unhappiness or critical attitude

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

grouch; grumble; scold

Context example:

We grumbled about the increased work load

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

complain; kick; kvetch; plain; quetch; sound off (express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

scold; scolder (someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault)

 Context examples 

Do you scold them for not admiring her?

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She might scold herself for the weakness, but there was no scolding it away.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

“But I hope your aunt will keep in her own room a good deal. And I hope she's not a scolding old thing!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

There was nothing the young gentleman would have liked better, but elephants could not have dragged him back after the scolding he had received.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Bessie, you must promise not to scold me any more till I go.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only sighed.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

You have scolded me too much for match-making, for me to presume to take such a liberty with you.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I should scold her myself, if she were capable of wishing to check the delight of your conversation with our new friend.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I scolded him for it, but he argued quietly that it was very good and very wholesome; that it was life, strong life, and gave life to him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)