From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreprimandrep‧ri‧mand /ˈreprəmɑːnd $ -mænd/ verb [transitive] TELL somebody OFFto tell someone officially that something they have done is very wrong → scold, tell offreprimand somebody for (doing) something The military court reprimanded him for failing to do his duty. —reprimand noun [countable] a severe reprimandTHESAURUSreprimand formal to tell someone that they have done something wrong or illegal and are being punished for it – used especially in official contextsThe police officers were officially reprimanded for their behaviour.The Swiss authorities severely reprimanded the banks for accepting $660 million from the former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha.Debra remembered as a very young child being reprimanded by her father.scold formal if a parent, teacher, or other adult scolds a child, they talk to them angrily because they have done something wrong. Scold sounds rather formal and old-fashioned. In everyday English people usually say tell somebody offI dreaded the thought of going home and being scolded by my father.tell somebody off to talk angrily to someone because they have done something wrong. Tell somebody off is more common in British English than American EnglishDad told me off for getting home late.give somebody a talking-to informal to talk angrily to a child because they have done something wrongThe boy was given a good talking-to and sent home.lecture to talk angrily to someone for a long time about something they have done wrong, especially in a way that they think is not necessary or fairStop lecturing me, will you!He began to lecture her about her duties as a citizen.rebuke formal to tell someone that they should not have done somethingShe rebuked him for being late.Sheerman rebuked his colleague for suggesting that he was too stupid to understand what he was saying. reproach formal to talk to someone in a way that shows you are disappointed at what they have done. Reproach sounds much gentler than criticizing someone or reprimanding themHe felt he had to reproach his friend for his excessive drinking.berate formal to publicly criticize someone for a long time, in a way that shows you strongly disapprove of what they have doneShe berated the paper for its 'misleading front-page story.'Kennedy berated the Eisenhower administration and its vice president Richard Nixon, during the 1960 campaign. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
reprimand• After the trial two police officers were suspended from duty; four others were reprimanded.• He resented being called from his office to be reprimanded.• If you complain, then maybe they will be reprimanded, but then you are a dead man..• Wasim, though has been reprimanded by Lancashire for comments attributed to him in this book.• The man was released after being officially reprimanded for illegal possession of a knife.• Breslin was sharply reprimanded for insulting an Asian-American reporter.• The foreman reprimanded the workers severely for not following safety procedures.• With some effort he looked down at his feet as if to reprimand them.reprimand somebody for (doing) something• Once he had forgotten to lock Mr Corcoran's office and had been harshly reprimanded.• The girls exchanged nervous glances, thinking that it must be Miss Hardbroom come to reprimand them for being out of bed.• Wasim, though has been reprimanded by Lancashire for comments attributed to him in this book.• In February it publicly reprimanded the insurer for failing to be tough enough with its agents.• The commission unanimously voted to reprimand Williams for lying about the Las Vegas hotel rooms.• And there were those men who encouraged us to reprimand them for sexist thoughts and deeds.• Batley and Sheffield Eagles received a severe reprimand yesterday for the fighting which took place during their first-round Yorkshire Cup tie.• If he neglected his physical body, there was no one here to reprimand him, for the whole community was woefully neglected.severe reprimand• Wigan team-mate Kelvin Skerrett, who did the same, received a severe reprimand.• Batley and Sheffield Eagles received a severe reprimand yesterday for the fighting which took place during their first-round Yorkshire Cup tie.From Longman Business Dictionaryreprimandrep‧ri‧mand /ˈreprəmɑːnd-mænd/ noun [countable] an occasion when someone is officially told that they have done something very wrongHe is likely to receive some kind of reprimand for trying to influence the regulators unfairly. —reprimand verb [transitive]The judge reprimanded the company for having ‘abused and manipulated’ the bankruptcy process.Origin reprimand (1600-1700) French réprimande, from Latin, from reprimere; → REPRESS 