Webster's English Dictionary

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scold

1. scold \'sko-ld\ n [ME scald, scold, prob. of Scand origin; akin to ON 
   ska-ld] poet, skald, Icel ska-lda to make scurrilous verse 1: one addicted 
   to abusive ribald speech  2: one who scolds habitually or persistently  3: 
   SCOLDING {a writing that is a ~} 
2. scold vi obs  1: to quarrel noisily : BRAWL  2: to find fault noisily  
   1: to censure severely or angrily  2: REBUKE VITUPERATE mean to reproach 
   angrily and abusively. SCOLD implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper 
   justly or unjustly; UPBRAID implies censuring on definite and usu. 
   justifiable grounds; BERATE suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding; 
   RAIL (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating; REVILE implies a 
   scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred; VITUPERATE suggests 
   a violent reviling - scold.er n SYN syn SCOLD, UPBRAID, BERATE, RAIL, 
   REVILE,