reproach
pronunciation
How to pronounce reproach in British English:
UK [rɪˈprəʊtʃ]
How to pronounce reproach in American English:
US [rɪˈproʊtʃ]
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- Noun:
- a mild rebuke or criticism
- disgrace or shame
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- Verb:
- express criticism towards
Word Origin
- reproach
- reproach: [15] The -proach of reproach is the same as that of approach. Both go back ultimately to Latin prope ‘near’. From this was formed the Vulgar Latin verb *repropiāre ‘bring back near’, which, by the time it reached Old French as reprochier, had evolved metaphorically towards the notion of ‘bringing somebody face to face with something for which they should be blamed’.=> approach
- reproach (n.)
- mid-14c., "a rebuke, blame, censure;" also "object of scorn or contempt;" c. 1400, as "disgrace, state of disgrace," from Old French reproche "blame, shame, disgrace" (12c.), from reprochier "to blame, bring up against," said by some French etymologists to be from Vulgar Latin *repropiare, from Latin re- "opposite of" + prope "near" (see propinquity), with suggestions of "bring near to" as in modern "get in (someone's) face." But others would have it from *reprobicare, from Latin reprobus/reprobare (see reprobate (adj.)).
- reproach (v.)
- mid-14c., reprochen "to rebuke, reproach," from Anglo-French repruchier, Old French reprochier "upbraid, blame, accuse, speak ill of," from reproche (see reproach (n.)). Related: Reproached; reproaching.
Example
- 1. If macmillan has escaped reproach , it is not because he succeeded , but because the task was so hopeless .
- 2. The price of failure , the conservative prime minister said , would be that " our successors will reproach us as we reproach the victorians for complacency about slums and ugliness . "
- 3. Similarly , if you are not the godmother at the baptism of one of your best friend 's children , it is probably wrong to give heirloom-style gifts or do anything that could be construed as a reproach .
- 4. He deals with the dark side of india , above all the poverty , which is a reproach to a state and politicians who seem to cut down the needy in the " friendly fire " of bullying , incompetent and corrupt government action .