Meaning
Chide means to scold, rebuke, or reprimand someone mildly for their behavior or actions. It often implies gentle criticism rather than harsh punishment.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of Speech: Verb
- Transitivity: Transitive (requires an object)
- Pattern: chide + someone + for + doing something
Examples of structure:
- She chided him for being late.
- The teacher chided the students for talking during class.
It can also be used more softly or humorously:
- He chided himself for forgetting the meeting.
Common Phrases
- chide someone for something – to gently scold a person
- chide oneself – to criticize oneself for a mistake
- chide away (literary) – to express disapproval continuously
Collocations
- gently chide
- lovingly chide
- chide harshly
- chide a child
- chide for negligence
Examples
- The mother chided her son for leaving his shoes in the hallway.
- He chided himself for not taking the opportunity earlier.
- The manager chided the team for missing the deadline.
- She chided him with a smile, knowing he meant no harm.
- The teacher chided the class for not paying attention.
- He chided his friend for being too pessimistic.
- The priest chided the villagers for their greed.
- “Don’t chide me,” she said, “I did my best.”
Synonyms or Related
- scold
- reprimand
- rebuke
- reproach
- admonish
- criticize
Antonym
- praise
- compliment
- applaud
- approve