▪ I. rebuke, n.
(rɪˈbjuːk)
Also 5 rebeuc, 6 rebuk, Sc. rebuik.
[f. the vb.]
† 1. A shameful or disgraceful check; a shame or disgrace. Obs. (Common in 15th c., esp. in phr. to put to a rebuke.)
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 258 Behold the rebukys that do me so menace. c 1470 Gregory Chron. (Camden) 197 That yere the Pope put that hethyn hounde..to a grete rebuke. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. iv, The rebukes that sir Launcelot dyd vnto many knyghtes causeth them that be men of prowesse to beware. |
† b. Without a or pl.: Shame, disgrace, reproach. Obs. (Common in 16th c.)
| 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 19 To the grete rebuke and disclaunder of the seid Crafte. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlvii. 160 We shall do hym all the shame and rebuke that we can. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 174 He dyd not stayne ne putte to lacke or rebuke hys royall autoritie. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 55 For great rebuke it is love to despise. |
2. Reproof, reprimand.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 127 Scorne and rebuke cast in his visage, He..sayde nothyng therto. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. 8 On your owne sleue to wype your nose Without rebuke takynge. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. i. 111 If he will not yeeld, Rebuke and dread correction waite on vs. 1611 Bible Prov. xiii. 1 A wise sonne heareth his fathers instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 1671 Milton P.R. i. 468 Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke. 1781 Cowper Expost. 397 Hast thou..Despising all rebuke, still persevered. 1844 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile Poems 1850 I. 48 God hath rebuked us, who is over us, To give rebuke or death. |
b. With a and pl. (the commonest use): A reproof, a reprimand.
| 1514 Barclay Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 47 Thou shalt at the least way rebukes soure abide. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 424 b, It is incredible, with what rebukes and railinges y⊇ people received hym. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. v. 48 Shee's a Lady So tender of rebukes, that words are stroke[s]. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 844 So spake the Cherube, and his grave rebuke..added grace Invincible. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 720 His gentle eye Grew stern, and darted a severe rebuke. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville III. 66 The only punishment this desperado met with, was a rebuke from the leader of the party. 1877 Sparrow Serm. xx. 272 The very existence of these forms in our Prayer Book is a standing rebuke of the selfish ingratitude of those who [etc.]. |
† 3. a. A check, stop. b. A severe blow. c. Reproof or correction by a blow. Obs. rare.
| 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 27 The sap in graffing receiues a rebuke, and cannot worke so strongly. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables i. xxxvii. 36 [The horse] gave him so Terrible a Rebuke upon the Forehead with his Heel, that he laid him at his Length. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 436 ¶9 Miller's Heat laid him open to the Rebuke of the calm Buck, by a large Cut in the Forehead. |
▪ II. rebuke, v.
(rɪˈbjuːk)
Also 4 rebuk(k, -bouk, -buyk, -bukie, 5 rebuck.
[a. AF. (Langtoft) and ONF. rebuker = OF. rebuch(i)er (Godef.), f. re- re- + bucher to beat, strike. (Connexion with ONF. rebouquer, F. reboucher, to blunt, is doubtful.)]
† 1. trans. To beat down or force back; to repress or check (a person); to repulse. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 180, I am now comen here, Þise Sarazins to rebuke [F. destrure], & slo at my powere. Ibid. 194 Rebuke [F. rebuke(z] him for þat ilk of þat auauntrie. 1380 Sir Ferumb. 4692 Þ⊇ frensche to þam shute & caste, & rebuked hem foule with-ynne. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 204 Anoone..he rebukid the forsayden breenys and bourkeyns..and ham to Pees reformed. c 1500 Melusine 252 Two of his knightes..proudly rebuckyd Claudes men with theire speres. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iii. vi. 128 Wee could haue rebuk'd him at Harflewe. 1605 ― Macb. iii. i. 56 Vnder him My Genius is rebuk'd, as it is said Mark Anthonies was by Cæsar. |
† b. To check, repress (a quality, action, etc.).
| 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 28 The holynes of the chyrche & deuoute prayers made therin..rebuketh the boldnes of the fende. 1584 Cogan Haven Health ccxv. (1636) 232 The drinke being cold, it rebuketh naturall heat that is working. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 9 Hether is he come..to rebuke the vsurpation Of thy vnnatural Vncle, English John. |
† c. To beat, buffet. Obs. rare.
| 1611 Beaum. & Fl. King & No King iv. iii, A head rebuked With pots of all size, daggers, stools, and bed-staves. |
2. To reprove, reprimand, chide severely. Sometimes const. for, † of (a fault).
| c 1325 Lai le Freine 75 The knight..was sore agramed, And rebouked his leuedy. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 371 Repentance riȝte so rebuked hym þat tyme. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) ii. lviii. (1859) 56 Why shold the ashes be blamed, or rebuked for theyr vnthryftynesse? 1486 Bk. St. Albans B iij b, Iff ye haue a chastised hounde that will be rebuket. c 1500 H. Medwall Nature (Brandl) 517 These .ii. folk..euer enbesyeth theym to rebuke you of syn. 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 13 To rebuke al such as are vngodly for al the works which they haue done wickedly. 1608 Shakes. Per. iii. i. 1 Thou god of this great vast, rebuke these surges. 1611 Bible Luke iv. 39 He stood ouer her, and rebuked the feuer, & it left her. 1676 Hobbes Iliad i. 510 And angry him rebuk't with Language keen. 1738 Wesley Ps. lxxxviii. ii, Rebuke these Storms, and set me safe on Land. 1791 Cowper Iliad v. 514 Him thus the Archer of the skies rebuked. 1834 Lytton Pompeii i. ii, ‘Thy heart rebukes thee while thou speakest’, said the Egyptian. 1883 Froude Short Stud. IV. i. vi. 70 He rebuked them for their cowardice and want of faith. |
| absol. 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxxiii[i]. 18 Remembre this..how the enemie rebuketh. 1611 Bible Amos v. 10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate. |
b. To express blame or reprehension of (a quality, action, etc.) by reproof or reprimand addressed to persons.
| 1529 More Supplic. Soulys Wks. 335/2 Albeit we cannot well..rebuke or blame this negligence and forgeatfulnes in you. 1550 Crowley Langland's P. Pl. To Reader, There is no maner of vice..whiche this wryter hath not godly, learnedlye, and wittilye rebuked. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. xii. 69 The Palmer..much rebukt those wandring eyes of his. 1632 Quarles Div. Fancies ii. vi. 49 His indulgent tongue Compounded rather than rebuk'd the wrong. 1784 Cowper Task vi. 655 The Muse perhaps..rebukes a deed Less impious than absurd. 1821 Shelley Hellas 928, I must rebuke This drunkenness of triumph ere it die. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 131 Parmenides rebukes this want of consistency in Socrates. |
c. transf. or fig. of things.
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. iii. 37 Do's not the Stone rebuke me, For being more Stone then it? 1728 Young Love Fame iii. 76 Impatient art rebukes the sun's delay. 1859 Whittier My Psalm iv, The manna dropping from God's hand Rebukes my painful care. 1876 J. Parker Paracl. i. viii. 134 Holy and unblamable lives, whereby ungodly men are silently rebuked and instructed. |
† 3. To treat lightly, despise. Obs. rare.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 246 Þis Reseamiraduk, als fole & onwise, His letter gan rebuk, sette it at light prise. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. (1868) 14, I wyl be lothe to see the beaulte of my lady vyenne to be rebuked. |
† 4. To put to shame, bring into contempt. Obs.—1
| 1529 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 228/1 The order is rebuked by the priestes begging and lewde liuing. |
† 5. Falconry. To check (a hawk). Obs.
| 1575 Turberv. Faulconrie 121 Take heede that you caste not your lewre into the water, least she shoulde thereby be rebuked. Ibid. 134, 141, etc. |
▪ III. rebuke
obs. Sc. form of roebuck.