expostulating

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Related to expostulating: ignominy, negus, ulster, come to fruition, begs to differ

ex·pos·tu·late

(ĭk-spŏs′chə-lāt′)

v. ex·pos·tu·lat·ed, ex·pos·tu·lat·ing, ex·pos·tu·lates

v.intr.

To reason earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct; remonstrate. See Synonyms at object.

v.tr.

To say in protest; object: "[He] expostulated that they had every right to hold a street meeting" (Pierre Berton).

[Latin expostulāre, expostulāt- : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + postulāre, to demand; see prek- in Indo-European roots.]

ex·pos′tu·la′tion n.

ex·pos′tu·la′tor n.

ex·pos′tu·la·to′ry (-lə-tôr′ē), ex·pos′tu·la′tive adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

expostulating

(ɪkˈspɒstjʊˌleɪtɪŋ)

adj

formal expressing strong disagreement with someone

exˈpostuˌlatingly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

References in classic literature ?

It then becomes apparent that the woman has taken possession of this knife, for safety's sake; for, she too starting up, and restraining and expostulating with him, the knife is visible in her dress, not in his, when they drowsily drop back, side by side.

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But his affection took the rather uncouth form of expostulating with her about her work.

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"We'll send for the bird later," he told the landlady, who, still mildly expostulating as she followed them downstairs, failed to notice that the captain of the detectives had carelessly left the door to Daughtry's rooms ajar.

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Linton took off the grey cloak of the dairy-maid which we had borrowed for our excursion, shaking her head and expostulating with her, I suppose: she was a young lady, and they made a distinction between her treatment and mine.

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I hear experts expostulating the merits of our international agreements.

'LET'S DO IT AGAIN SOON, LOLA'

Most of the time I and other lawyers write letters criticizing or expostulating about various issues.

A tight financial ship

Bruce Riedel, a senior CIA advisor to three presidents, found it hard to follow neocon logic, expostulating that they seemed bent on recreating the (expletive deleted) Persian Safavid Empire.