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to hector

to hector

3 8.4
To be bossy and scare someone into doing what you want
  • verb
  • /ˈhɛktər/
translation icon : intimidar
  • Scenes where white politicians focus on issues with little motivation beyond hectoring the opposition.

Examples

  • His prologues and epilogues hector the audience or the critics.

    Academic text (2002)
  • [Sullum] I was at this meal, and it came up that one of the people was a smoker, and somebody else at the table started hectoring them about it.

  • I suppose he'll be hectoring me soon for someone to fill your place.

  • It's annoying to hear a hectoring voice, so suggest tasks without words.

    Blog text (29)
  • When he came up, Aaron was gently hectoring.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • We don't hector Americans to make uninformed decisions about investments or medical treatment.

    Blog text (13)
  • There is no indication they followed him across the ballroom, badgering and hectoring him.

    Blog text (18)
  • It was one thing to know a woman was hectoring him, trying to elicit a jealous response.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The manager began to hector the team, demanding they work faster on the project.

  • She used to hector her younger brother, telling him what he should do at every turn.

Synonyms

to bully
vsto hector
  • Offensive
68 3.8

To scare or hurt someone, often someone weaker

focuses on intimidation and threats rather than being mainly about power imbalance
to push around
vsto hector
  • Informal
66 5.6

To treat someone in a bossy way so they do what you want

is focused on intimidation and overawing rather than general unfair treatment
to boss around
vsto hector
  • Informal
37 4.5

Tell people what to do in a rude way when you have no right

relies more on intimidation and overawing than only ordering someone
to strong-arm
vsto hector
  • NSFW
15 7.5

To force someone to do something by threats or violence

depends on intimidation and overawing rather than direct force or threats
to browbeat
vsto hector
9 8.1

To make someone do something by threatening them or using angry words

uses repeated intimidation and overawing rather than mainly verbal threats
to domineer
vsto hector
2 8.8

To boss other people around and not let them speak

uses personal intimidation and overawing rather than formal authority assertion
to bullyrag
vsto hector
  • Offensive
9.9

To frighten or shout at someone to make them do what you want

uses intimidation and overawing but not always persistent scolding
to ballyrag
vsto hector
  • Archaic
9.9

Make someone feel bad by bossing or bullying them

leans on intimidation rather than mostly repeated scolding or nagging

Antonyms

2.3

Give someone support and confidence so they try or keep doing something

Idioms

For a very long time

How Intimidating

to terrorize
  • NSFW
145 6.7
to bully
  • Offensive
68 3.8
to intimidate
294 4.9
to hector
3 8.4
to pressure
149 4.2

Surface Forms

hector infinitive
hectored past
hectored past participle
hectoring present participle
hectors third person singular

Etymology

Hector comes from the name Hector, the famous Trojan prince in old stories. One popular way to remember it is to think of a proud, strong fighter who bossed others, so hector came to mean 'to bully' or 'push people around'.