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Punish vs Scold - What's the difference?

punish | scold |

As verbs the difference between punish and scold

is that punish is to cause to suffer for crime or misconduct, to administer disciplinary action while scold is to rebuke.

As a noun scold is

a person fond of abusive language, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.

punish

English

Verb

(es)
  • To cause to suffer for crime or misconduct, to administer disciplinary action.
  • To cause great harm to. (a punishing blow )
  • To dumb down severely or to the point of uselessness or near-uselessness.

    • Synonyms

    * (to cause to suffer for crime or misconduct ) castigate

    Derived terms

    * punishable * punisher (noun ) * punishment (noun ) * (l) and (l) (through portmanteau with (etyl) )

    Related terms

    * pain

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words

    scold

    English

    Alternative forms

    * scould (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A person fond of abusive language, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.

    • Related terms

    * scold's bridle

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To rebuke.
  • * 1813 , (Pride and Prejudice) , (Jane Austen)
    • A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her —
  • *
    • 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.

    Synonyms

    * objurgate * rebuke * threap * See also

    Anagrams

    * clods, colds