Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Expostulate
Ex-pos′tu-late
(?; 135)
, Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Expostulated
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Expostulating
.] [L.
expostulatus
, p. p. of expostulare
to demand vehemently; ex
out + postulare
to ask, require. See Postulate
.] To reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of his conduct, representing the wrong he has done or intends, and urging him to make redress or to desist; to remonstrate; – followed by with.
Syn. – To remonstrate; reason. See
Remonstrate
. Ex-pos′tu-late
,Verb.
T.
To discuss; to examine.
[Obs.]
To
What majesty should be, what duty is.
expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is.
Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Expostulate
EXPOS'TULATE
,Verb.
I.
To reason earnestly with a person, on some impropriety of his conduct, representing the wrong he has done or intends, and urging him to desist, or to make redress; followed by with.
The emperor's embassador expostulated with the king, that he had broken the league with the emperor.
EXPOS'TULATE
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
expostulate
expostulate
English
Verb
expostulate (third-person singular simple present expostulates, present participle expostulating, simple past and past participle expostulated)
- To protest or remonstrate; to reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of conduct.
- Jowett
- Men expostulate with erring friends; they bring accusations against enemies who have done them a wrong.
- 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
- The tears would run plentifully down my face when I made these reflections; and sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providence should thus completely ruin His creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable; so without help, abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life.
- 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 2, ch. XI, The Abbot’s Ways
- […] he affectionately loved many persons to whom he never or hardly ever shewed a countenance of love. Once on my venturing to expostulate with him on the subject, he reminded me of Solomon: “Many sons I have; it is not fit that I should smile on them.”
- Jowett
Translations
to protest