expostulate
pronunciation
How to pronounce expostulate in British English:
UK [ɪkˈspɒstʃuleɪt]
How to pronounce expostulate in American English:
US [ɪkˈspɑstʃuleɪt]
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- Verb:
- reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
Word Origin
- expostulate (v.)
- 1530s, "to demand, to claim," from Latin expostulatus, past participle of expostulare "to demand urgently, remonstrate, find fault, dispute, complain of, demand the reason (for someone's conduct)," from ex- "from" (see ex-) + postulare "to demand" (see postulate (v.)). Friendlier sense of "to reason earnestly (with someone) against a course of action, etc." is first recorded in English 1570s. Related: Expostulated; expostulating.
Example
- 1. Didn 't I ever expostulate with you on the subject ?
- 2. Didn 't you ever expostulate with her on the subject ?
- 3. The father expostulate with his son about the foolishness of leaving school .
- 4. Doing this foolish work all day is starting to expostulate me crazy .
- 5. She expostulate with her husband about his habit of smoking in bed .