Definition of admonish

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ad·mon·ish    (d-mnsh) KEY 

TRANSITIVE VERB:
ad·mon·ished, ad·mon·ish·ing, ad·mon·ish·es

1. To reprove gently but earnestly.
2. To counsel (another) against something to be avoided; caution.
3. To remind of something forgotten or disregarded, as an obligation or a responsibility.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English amonishen, admonishen, alteration of amonesten, from Old French amonester, admonester, from Vulgar Latin *admonestre, from Latin admonre : ad-, ad- + monre, to warn; see men-¹ in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
ad·monish·er(Noun), ad·monish·ing·ly(Adverb), ad·monish·ment(Noun)

SYNONYMS:
admonish, reprove, rebuke, reprimand, reproach

These verbs mean to correct or caution critically. Admonish implies the giving of advice or a warning in order to rectify or avoid something: "A gallows erected on an eminence admonished the offenders of the fate that awaited them" (William Hickling Prescott). Reprove usually suggests gentle criticism and constructive intent: With a quick look, the teacher reproved the child for whispering in class. Rebuke and reprimand both refer to sharp, often angry criticism: "Some of the most heated criticism . . . has come from the Justice Department, which rarely rebukes other agencies in public" (Howard Kurtz). "A committee at [the university] asked its president to reprimand a scientist who tested gene-altered bacteria on trees" (New York Times). Reproach usually refers to regretful or unhappy criticism arising from a sense of disappointment: "Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach" (Samuel Johnson).