scold verb

See also the entry for BLAME

scold • lecture • tell sb off • rebuke • reprimand • chide • castigate •
berate • reproach
These words all mean to tell sb that you disapprove of sth they have done.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
scold / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written )
to tell sb, especially a child, that you disapprove of sth that they have done
Rose scolded the child gently for her behaviour. ◇ ‘Don't be such a baby!’
he scolded .
►  scolding / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , usually sing. ]: She got a scolding
from her mother
lecture / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( disapproving )
to criticize sb or tell them how you think they should behave, especially
when it is done in an annoying way
Don't start lecturing me! ◇ He's always lecturing her about the way she
dresses.
She lectured me about taking responsibility for my actions.
►  lecture noun [ C ]: I know I should stop smoking — don't give me a
lecture about it.
tell sb off phrasal verb told , told ( especially BrE , spoken )
to speak angrily to sb for doing sth wrong
I told the boys off for making so much noise. ◇ Did you get told off ?
►  telling- off noun [ C , usually sing. ]: ( BrE , informal ) The nurse gave
him a telling-off for smoking in the hospital.
NOTE SCOLD OR TELL SB OFF? There is no verb for telling sb that you
disapprove of their actions that is neither formal nor informal. Scold is the
most frequent of these verbs in written English, particularly in stories, but it
is not used much in spoken English. Tell sb off is by far the most frequent
in spoken British English but it is not used much in written English or
American English.
rebuke / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( formal )
to tell sb, publicly or privately, that you blame them for doing sth wrong
The company was publicly rebuked for having neglected safety procedures.
◇ She rebuked herself for her stupidity.
►  rebuke / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , usually sing. , U ]: He was silenced by
her stinging rebuke.
reprimand / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to tell sb officially that you disapprove of their actions, especially if they
have broken a rule or law
The judge reprimanded him for using such language in court.
The officers were severely reprimanded for their unprofessional behaviour.
►  reprimand / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , U ]: He received a severe
reprimand for his behaviour.
NOTE REBUKE OR REPRIMAND? Rebuke has a wider range of meaning, and
can usually be used instead of reprimand . Reprimand cannot always be
used instead of rebuke : She reprimanded herself for her stupidity.
chide / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to tell sb gently that you disapprove of sth that they have done
She chided herself for being so impatient with the children.
‘Isn't that a bit selfish?’ he chided.
castigate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to criticize sb/sth severely because you think they have failed or done sth
wrong
The minister castigated schools for falling standards in education.
He castigated himself for being so stupid.
Castigate can be used when you talk to sb to tell them their faults, or talk
about them publicly, for example in a speech.
berate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to speak angrily to sb because you do not approve of sth that they have
done
The minister was berated by angry demonstrators as he left the meeting.
She berated herself for being a bad mother.
Berate is often used when the criticism is both public and spoken directly to
the person (not written) : The minister was scolded/told
off/rebuked/reprimanded/chided/castigated/reproached/admonished/reprov
ed by angry demonstrators.
reproach / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to tell sb that you blame them or are disappointed in them because you
think they have done sth wrong; to feel guilty about sth that you think you
should have done differently
She was reproached by colleagues for leaking the story to the press. ◇ He
reproached himself for not telling her the truth.
Several of the words in this group can be used with
yourself/himself/herself, etc . to show that sb feels guilty or is angry with
themselves, but reproach is the most frequent in this pattern.
►  reproach / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C , usually sing. ]: ( formal ) His
voice was full of reproach. ◇ He listened to his wife's bitter reproaches.
Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.

upset adj.
upset • sorry • distressed • devastated • hurt • distraught •
dismayed • anguished
These words all describe sb who is unhappy, shocked or disappointed
because sth unpleasant has happened.
upset ➔ distressed ➔ devastated sorry anguished distraught hurt
dismayed
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
upset / BrE ; AmE / [ not before noun ]
unhappy or disappointed because of sth unpleasant that has happened
There's no point getting upset about it. ◇ I think she may be a bit upset
with you. ◇ She was upset that he had left without saying goodbye.
She's obviously deeply upset by his behaviour. ◇ I understand how upset
you must be feeling. ◇ The incident had left him visibly angry and upset .
See also upset ⇨ HURT   1 , upsetting ⇨ PAINFUL   2
sorry / BrE ; AmE / [ not before noun ]
feeling sad and sympathetic because of sth unpleasant that has happened
to sb else
I'm sorry that your husband lost his job. ◇ We're sorry to hear that your
father's in hospital again. ◇ No one is sorrier than I am about what
happened.
OPP glad , happy ⇨ GLAD
See also sympathetic ⇨ SENSITIVE   1
distressed / BrE ; AmE /
very upset
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. ◇ She was
in a somewhat distressed state when she came to see me.
I was very distressed to hear that Joseph has been forced to flee. ◇ Her
distressed boyfriend has been interviewed by police.
See also distress ⇨ DISTRESS noun , distress ⇨ HURT verb   1 , distressing
⇨ PAINFUL   2
devastated / BrE ; AmE / ( rather informal )
extremely upset or shocked by sth
I felt devastated at losing my job. ◇ His family is absolutely devastated.
I was utterly devastated by my father's death.
See also devastating ⇨ DISASTROUS
hurt / BrE ; AmE /
upset and offended by sth that sb has said or done
a hurt look/expression ◇ She was deeply hurt that she had not been
invited. ◇ Martha's hurt pride showed in her eyes.
See also hurt ⇨ DISTRESS noun , hurt ⇨ HURT verb   1
distraught / BrE ; AmE /
extremely upset and anxious so that you cannot think clearly and cannot be
calmed
She's still too distraught to talk about the tragedy. ◇ The child's distraught
parents pleaded for witnesses to contact the police.
They were terribly distraught at the news of his accident. ◇ She sounded
absolutely distraught.
dismayed / BrE ; AmE /
shocked and disappointed by sth
He was dismayed at the change in his old friend. ◇ They were dismayed to
find that the ferry had already left.
The suggestion was greeted by a dismayed silence.
See also dismay ⇨ SHOCK noun   1 , dismay ⇨ SHOCK verb
anguished / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
showing great pain or mental suffering
She read the letter, gave an anguished cry and collapsed. ◇ He looked
across at Kate's anguished face.
Jack looked anguished, almost desperate.
See also anguish ⇨ DISTRESS noun
Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.

hatred noun
hatred • dislike • hate • aversion • loathing
These are all words for a strong feeling of not liking sb/sth.
dislike ➔ hatred ➔ loathing aversion hate
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
hatred / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
a very strong feeling of not liking sb/sth
She felt nothing but hatred for her attacker. ◇ He was accused of stirring
up racial hatred . ◇ The debate simply revived old hatreds .
She was full of hatred and bitterness. ◇ He looked at me with intense
hatred .
OPP love ⇨ LOVE
See also hate ⇨ HATE verb
dislike / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
a feeling of not liking sb/sth; a thing that you do not like
He did not try to hide his dislike of his boss. ◇ She took an instant dislike
to the house and the neighbourhood. ◇ I've told you all my likes and
dislikes .
OPP liking ⇨ LOVE   2 , likes
Your likes are the things that you like, but the word is only really used in
the phrase sb's likes and dislikes .
See also dislike ⇨ HATE verb
hate / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
a very strong feeling of dislike for sb, that makes you want to harm them
His eyes were flashing with hate and anger. ◇ He had received racist hate
mail .
There were allegations of a hate campaign against the councillor. ◇ She
gave him a look of real hate. ◇ I have so much hate for that man.
OPP love ⇨ LOVE   2
See also hate ⇨ HATE verb
NOTE HATRED OR HATE? Hatred is more frequent, slightly more formal and
used especially in writing. Although it can be used to refer to the abstract
concept, it is more often used to describe a very strong feeling of dislike for
a particular person or thing: Her deep hatred of her sister was obvious. ◇ a
cat's hatred of water . You are more likely to use hate when you are talking
about this feeling in a general way: a look of pure hate ◇ people filled with
hate . Hate is more often used in informal or spoken contexts. It can also
be used before another noun, as in a hate campaign or a hate figure .
aversion / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ]
a strong feeling of not liking sb/sth, that makes you want to avoid them/it
He had an aversion to getting up early. ◇ She has a deep-rooted aversion
to dogs, almost amounting to a phobia.
He felt an overwhelming sense of aversion towards the young man standing
before him.
loathing / BrE ; AmE / [ sing. , U ] ( formal )
a very strong feeling of hatred and disgust for sb/sth
Many soldiers returned with a deep loathing of war. ◇ She looked at her
attacker with fear and loathing.
He now felt a loathing for the place.
See also loathe ⇨ HATE verb
Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.

hate verb
hate • dislike • can't stand • despise • can't bear • loathe • detest •
abhor
These words all mean to have a strong feeling of dislike for sb/sth.
dislike ➔ hate ➔ can't bear ➔ loathe despise can't stand detest
abhor
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
hate / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( not used in the progressive tenses )
to have a strong feeling of dislike for sb/sth
He hates violence in any form. ◇ I've always hated cabbage. ◇ Sometimes
I really hate her. ◇ I hated myself for feeling jealous. ◇ She hates making
mistakes. ◇ I would hate him to think he wasn't welcome here. ◇ I hate to
think what would have happened if you hadn't been there. ◇ She hated it
in France ( = did not like the life there ) . ◇ When children are taught to
hate , the whole future of society is in danger.
He was the teacher that we all loved to hate ( = seemed to enjoy hating ) .
◇ I hate it when people cry. ◇ She hated every moment of school. ◇ He
was beginning to hate his job. ◇ I hated him with a passion. ◇ They were
brought up to hate anyone of a different religion. ◇ He hates to be away
from his family.
Although hate is generally a very strong verb, it is also commonly used in
spoken or informal English to talk about people or things that you dislike in
a less important way, for example a particular type of food.
OPP love ⇨ LOVE , love ⇨ LIKE
See also hatred , hate ⇨ HATRED noun
dislike / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not used in the progressive tenses ) ( rather
formal )
to not like sb/sth
Why do you dislike him so much? ◇ Not only would she rather not go
swimming, she actively dislikes it. ◇ The new regime is universally disliked
.
He was disliked by most of his contemporaries. ◇ He disliked it when she
phoned him so late at night. ◇ Most people dislike going to the dentist. ◇
My father always disliked me staying away from home. ◇ Though he
seemed charming, the girl instinctively disliked him.
◇ Much as she disliked asking for help, she knew she had to.
Dislike is a rather formal word; it is less formal, and more usual to say that
you don't like sb/sth, especially in spoken English: I don't like it when you
phone me so late at night.
OPP like ⇨ LIKE , like ⇨ LOVE
See also dislike ⇨ HATRED noun
stand / BrE ; AmE / [ T , no passive ] ( not used in the progressive tenses )
( rather informal , especially spoken )
used in negative statements and questions to emphasize that you really do
not like sb/sth
I can't stand his brother. ◇ She can't stand the sight of blood. ◇ I can't
stand it when you do that. ◇ How could she have stood such treatment for
so long?
She couldn't stand being kept waiting. ◇ I can't stand people interrupting
all the time!
despise / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not used in the progressive tenses )
to dislike and have no respect for sb/sth
She despised gossip in any form. ◇ He despised himself for being so
cowardly.
I don't know why they despise me so much.
See also despicable ⇨ DESPICABLE
bear / BrE ; AmE / bore , borne [ T ] ( not used in the progressive
tenses )
used in negative statements and questions to say that you dislike sth so
much that you cannot accept or deal with it
How can you bear to eat that stuff? ◇ I just can't bear it any more! ◇ The
pain was almost more than he could bear. ◇ She couldn't bear the thought
of losing him.
I can't bear having cats in the house. ◇ She couldn't bear seeing him so
upset.
NOTE CAN'T STAND OR CAN'T BEAR? In many cases you can use either word,
but can't bear is slightly stronger and slightly more formal than can't
stand . Can't stand is NOT used with an infinitive : How can you stand to
eat that stuff? Bear , but NOT stand , has the closely related meaning of ‘to
accept and deal with sth unpleasant’, used in positive statements: She bore
it all with her usual patience. ◇ She stood it all with her usual patience.
See also the entry for STAND   2
loathe / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not used in the progressive tenses )
to hate sb/sth very much
They loathe each other. ◇ Many of the people fear and loathe the new
government. ◇ He loathed hypocrisy.
Loathe is generally an even stronger verb than hate , but it can also be
used more informally to talk about less important things, meaning ‘really
don't like’: Whether you love or loathe their music, you can't deny their
talent.
OPP love , adore ⇨ LOVE , adore ⇨ LIKE
See also loathing ⇨ HATRED noun
detest / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not used in the progressive tenses ) ( rather
formal )
to hate sb/sth very much
They absolutely detest each other. ◇ I detest being treated like a child.
OPP love ⇨ LOVE
abhor / BrE ; AmE / ( not used in the progressive tenses ) ( formal )
to hate sth very much, for example a way of behaving or thinking,
especially for moral reasons
Most decent people abhor corruption in government.
She abhors any form of cruelty towards animals.
Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.
come up with sth phrasal verb
See also the entry for INVENT
come up with sth • devise • conceive • work sth out • hatch • hit
on/upon sth • think sth up • dream sth up
These words all mean to think of an idea, plan or solution.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
come up with sth phrasal verb came , come [ no passive ] ( rather
informal )
to think of or produce an idea, plan or solution
He's come up with a really good design for a solar-powered car. ◇ She
believed she had come up with one of the greatest innovations of modern
times.
devise / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to invent sth new or a new way of doing sth
Scientists have devised a method of recycling the contaminated oil. ◇ All
the recipes in this book have been devised by our team of experts.
conceive / BrE ; AmE / (also conceive of sth ) [ T ] ( formal )
to form an idea or plan in your mind
He conceived the idea of transforming the old power station into an arts
centre. ◇ They conceived of a theory and stuck to it.
work sth out / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to think of a plan, a solution or a way of doing sth
I've worked out a new way of doing it.
hatch / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather informal )
to think of a plan or idea, especially in secret
Rebel MPs are hatching a secret plot to oust the prime minister. ◇ Have
you been hatching up a deal with her?
hit on sth , hit upon sth phrasal verb hitting , hit , hit [ no passive ] (
rather informal )
to think of a good idea suddenly or by chance
She hit on the perfect title for her new novel.
think sth up phrasal verb thought , thought ( rather informal )
to think of an idea, plan or excuse ( = a reason to explain your behaviour )
Can't you think up a better excuse than that?
dream sth up phrasal verb dreamt , dreamt or dreamed , dreamed (
rather informal )
to think of an idea, especially a very unusual or silly one
Trust you to dream up a crazy idea like this!
Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.

frightening adj.
See also the entry for WORRYING
frightening • terrifying • scary • alarming • daunting • chilling •
eerie • intimidating • spooky • creepy • hair-raising
These words all describe people, things, events, etc. that make you feel
afraid.
alarming ➔ frightening ➔ terrifying daunting scary chilling
intimidating eerie hair-raising spooky creepy
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
frightening / BrE ; AmE /
making you feel afraid
It's frightening to think it could happen again. ◇ The noise was frightening.
Frightening is rather formal in American English.
See also frightened ⇨ AFRAID , frighten ⇨ FRIGHTEN
terrifying / BrE ; AmE /
making you feel extremely afraid
The sudden silence was terrifying.
See also terrified ⇨ AFRAID , terrify ⇨ FRIGHTEN
scary / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
making you feel afraid
a scary movie ◇ This is the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. ◇ a
scary-looking guy
See also scared ⇨ AFRAID , scare ⇨ FRIGHTEN
alarming / BrE ; AmE /
making you feel worried or afraid
an alarming increase in the number of cases of skin cancer ◇ The rainforest
is disappearing at an alarming rate .
Alarming is rather formal in American English.
OPP reassuring ⇨ REASSURE
See also alarm ⇨ FRIGHTEN
►  alarmingly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : Prices have risen alarmingly.
NOTE FRIGHTENING, SCARY OR ALARMING? If a situation is alarming , it is
usually a warning that sth unpleasant will happen in the future, especially
sth that means a loss of comfort or pleasant conditions. Frightening and
scary can describe people as well as situations and refer to a fear about
now or in the future; and this may be a fear about personal safety, not just
loss of comfort.
daunting / BrE ; AmE /
making you feel nervous and not confident about doing sth
Starting a new school can be very daunting. ◇ She has the daunting task of
cooking for 20 people every day.
See also daunt ⇨ DISCOURAGE   2
chilling / BrE ; AmE /
very frightening, usually because it is connected with sth violent or cruel
a chilling tale of murder and revenge ◇ The film evokes chilling reminders
of the war.
eerie / BrE ; AmE /
strange and frightening
an eerie green light ◇ He had an eerie feeling that he was not alone.
►  eerily / BrE ; AmE / adv. : It was eerily quiet.
intimidating / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
frightening in a way that makes you feel less confident in a particular
situation
He had a very intimidating manner. ◇ The atmosphere was less
intimidating than I had imagined.
NOTE DAUNTING OR INTIMIDATING? Daunting describes sth you do or are
going to do: a daunting experience ◇ a daunting
thought/prospect/task/challenge . Intimidating describes a person or
place.
spooky / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
strange and frightening
a spooky old house ◇ I was just thinking about her when she phoned,
which was a bit spooky.
See also spook ⇨ FRIGHTEN
creepy / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
strange, frightening and unpleasant
It's kind of creepy down in the cellar! ◇ What a creepy coincidence. ◇ a
creepy little man with a nervous tic
NOTE EERIE, SPOOKY OR CREEPY? These words are all used especially to
describe a feeling that sth strange or unnatural is happening or is near you.
Spooky and creepy are both used to describe things that happen that
cannot be explained scientifically. Creepy can describe people as well as
places, events and situations, and suggests sth unpleasant as well as
strange. Eerie is less informal than the other two.
hair-raising / BrE ; AmE /
very frightening but often exciting too
a hair-raising adventure/journey

stare verb
See also the entries for GLANCE and LOOK   1
stare • gaze • peer • glare • squint • gawk
These words all mean to look at sb/sth for a long time.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS
stare / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to look at sb/sth for a long time, especially with surprise or fear, or because
you are thinking
I screamed and everyone stared . ◇ Peter stared in disbelief at the
message on the screen. ◇ He sat for hours just staring into space ( =
looking at nothing ) .
I stared blankly at the paper in front of me. ◇ The passengers stared wide-
eyed as the hijacker took out a grenade. ◇ The builder stared up at the
crack in the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. ◇ She looked at them with
dark staring eyes.
See also stare ⇨ LOOK noun
gaze / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( especially written )
to look steadily at sb/sth for a long time, especially with surprise or love, or
because you are thinking
We all gazed at Marco in amazement. ◇ She gazed adoringly into his eyes.
He sat for hours just gazing into space ( = looking at nothing ) .
See also gaze ⇨ LOOK noun
peer / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to look closely or carefully at sth, especially when you cannot see it clearly
We peered into the shadows. ◇ She kept peering over her shoulder.
He went to the window and peered out. ◇ He peered closely at the
photograph.
glare / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to look angrily at sb/sth for a long time
I looked at her and she glared stonily back.
Noah was furious but he didn't shout, he just glared at me silently.
See also glare ⇨ LOOK noun
squint / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to look at sb/sth with your eyes partly shut in order to keep out bright light
or to see better
She was squinting through the keyhole. ◇ When he squinted his eyes, he
could just make out a house in the distance.
The driver had to squint against the sun to see where he was going. ◇ He
squinted at the letter in his hand.
gawk / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( informal )
to stare at sb/sth in such an obvious way that it looks rude or stupid
Stop gawking like that!
The old station master gawked in surprise as they pushed past him.