common scold
- noun
- Slur
:
[Término ofensivo (histórico) para una mujer que regaña]
- She was unfairly labeled a common scold by her neighbors because of her outspoken nature.
Examples
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In colonial times, a common scold might face public punishment for her behavior.
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The village has not seen a common scold brought to trial for decades.
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She was known as a common scold in the village.
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The town had its share of common scolds who complained about everything.
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In the village, everyone knew her as a common scold who would always complain about the noise from the market.
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The common scold was notorious for her constant nagging about the children's behavior.
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During the town meeting, a common scold stood up to express her dissatisfaction with the new regulations.
Synonyms
563
3.0
A person who often finds fault and speaks harshly about others
23
4.3
A person who complains a lot about small things in an annoying way
14
5.2
A person who is often bad-tempered and complains
11
2.8
A person who often says they are unhappy about things
10
6.7
A person who complains often in an annoying way
4
8.4
A person who often annoys others by pointing out problems or asking hard questions
2
9.9
An old word for a person, often a woman, who always complains and finds fault
1
9.9
A person who often complains about small things
1
5.5
A person who complains a lot about small things
1
9.9
A person who often complains about small things
1
8.4
A person who often complains about many things
1
5.3
A person who often complains about small things
1
8.4
A person who complains a lot about small things
1
9.9
A person who often whines and complains in an annoying way
1
9.1
A person who often complains in an annoying way
1
6.5
A person who often complains about small, unimportant things
A person who often tells others they are wrong in an annoying way
A person who often criticizes or complains about other people
A person who keeps complaining or criticizing in an annoying way
A woman or girl who often says she is unhappy about small things
A person who often says they are unhappy and finds fault with many small things
A person who complains a lot, often about small things
A person who criticizes others harshly and lowers their morale
A person who criticizes someone strongly for their behavior
A person who tells someone they did something wrong
A person who often points out faults and blames others
A person who keeps asking questions to annoy someone and will not stop
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is transparently compositional: 'common' (frequent/ordinary) modifies 'scold' (a person who nags or criticizes), so a 'common scold' plausibly means a person who habitually scolds or annoys others. Although the term is historical/archaic, its meaning is directly derivable from the constituent words and would be understandable to a learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
Common scold may come from old village rules where a woman who often scolded others, that is, 'complained' or 'found fault', was treated as a public problem and could be punished in front of the town, for example with the ducking stool, a chair used to dunk people in water. That's why the phrase means someone who often annoys others by complaining.