different between scold vs accuse

English

Etymology

The noun is from Middle English scold(e), skald(e), first attested in the 12th or 13th century (as scold, scolde, skolde, skald). The verb is from Middle English scolden, first attested in the late 1300s. Most dictionaries derive the verb from the noun and say the noun is probably from Old Norse skald (“poet”) (cognate with Icelandic skáld (“poet, scop”)), as skalds sometimes wrote insulting poems, though another view is that the Norse and English words are cognate to each other and to Old High German skeldan, Old Dutch skeldan, all inherited from Proto-Germanic *skeldan? (“scold”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sk??ld/, [sk???d]
• (US) IPA^(key): /sko?ld/
• Rhymes: -??ld

Noun

scold (plural scolds)

1. A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
   • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Again?t venemous tongues enpoy?oned with ?claunder and fal?e detractions &c.:

     A ?claunderous tunge, a tunge of a ?kolde,
     Worketh more mi?chiefe than can be tolde;
     That, if I wi?t not to be controlde,
     Yet ?omwhat to ?ay I dare well be bolde,
     How ?ome delite for to lye, thycke and threfolde.

   • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part II, XVIII [Uniform ed., p. 196]:

     “Well, I won’t have it, and that’s enough.” She laughed, for her voice had a little been that of the professional scold.

Alternative forms

• scould, scolde (obsolete)

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:shrew

Related terms

• scold's bridle

Translations

Verb

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 —
2. (ornithology) Of birds, to make harsh vocalisations in aggression.
3. Of birds, to make vocalisations that resemble human scolding.
4. Misconstruction of scald

Derived terms

• outscold

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:criticize

Translations

References

Anagrams

• clods, clos'd, colds

English

Etymology

First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin acc?s? (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ?kyo?oz?, IPA^(key): /??kju?z/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??kjuz/
• Rhymes: -u?z
• Hyphenation: ac?cuse

Verb

accuse (third-person singular simple present accuses, present participle accusing, simple past and past participle accused)

1. (transitive) to find fault with, blame, censure
2. (transitive, law, followed by "of") to charge with having committed a crime or offence

   Synonyms: charge, indict, impeach, arraign

3. (intransitive) to make an accusation against someone

   Synonyms: blame, censure, reproach, criminate

Usage notes

• (legal): When used this way accused is followed by the word of.

Related terms

Translations

Noun

accuse (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Accusation.

Further reading

• accuse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• accuse in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• accuse at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• cuecas

French

Verb

accuse

1. first-person singular present indicative of accuser
2. third-person singular present indicative of accuser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of accuser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of accuser
5. second-person singular imperative of accuser

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -uze

Noun

accuse f

1. plural of accusa

Portuguese

Verb

accuse

1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of accusar
2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of accusar
3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of accusar
4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of accusar