scold

• scould (obsolete)

From Old Norse skald (“poet”). English since the 12th century.

• (US) IPA^(key): /skoʊld/

• Audio (US)

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• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /skəʊld/, [skɒʊɫd]
• Rhymes: -əʊld

scold (plural scolds)

1. A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
   • 2015 September 14, Paul Krugman, “Labour's dead centre [print version: International New York Times, 15 September 2015, p. 9]”, in The New York Times‎:

     Consider the contrast with the United States, where deficit scolds dominated Beltway discourse in 2010–2011 but never managed to dictate the terms of political debate […]

• See Thesaurus:shrew

• scold's bridle

scold (third-person singular simple present scolds, present participle scolding, simple past and past participle scolded)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To rebuke angrily.
   • 1813, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

     A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her —

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175, page 062:

     Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.

• outscold

• See Thesaurus:criticize

• clods, colds