reprove, v.1
(rɪˈpruːv)
Forms: α. 4–7 reproue, (4 reproeve, -pruue), 6–7 reprooue, -ve, 4– -reprove; 5 reprof(f, also Sc. reprow, -pruff, 5–6 -prufe, 6 -proif, -prw. β. 4–6 repreue, -ve, (4 repreove), 5–6 repref(e, 6–7 reprieve, -prive; also Sc. 5 rapreiff, 5–6 reprew, (6 ra-), 6 repreif, -prief.
[ad. OF. reprover (AF. also repruver; mod.F. réprouver):—L. reprobāre: see reprobate v. The β-forms are from those parts of the verb in which the stem had stress (AF. repreov-, OF. repreuv-): see prove v.]
† 1. trans. To reject. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xx. 12 Amange þe deuels of hell, þe whilke þou has forsaken and reproued. 1382 Wyclif Luke xx. 17 The stoon whom men bildinge reproueden [1388 repreueden], this is maad in to the heed of the corner. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 3474 The stone whilk the biggers reproved in the heved is made angulere. 1526 Tindale Heb. vi. 8 That grounde which beareth thornes and bryars is reproved and is nye vnto cursynge. 1582 Bentley Mon. Matrones 69 It seemeth to them God is parciall, bicause he hath elected some, and some reprooued. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies ii. xii. 109, I am almost ready to follow the opinion of such as reproove the qualities..which Aristotle gives vnto the Elements, saying they are but imaginations. |
† b. Sc. To set aside as invalid.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1480 Act. Dom. Conc. (1839) 52/1 Þat þe saidis provost, chanonis, & chapelanis, sall brouke & Joyse þe said landis..quhil þe said lettre be Repreifit & declarit of na vale. |
2. To express disapproval of (conduct, actions, beliefs, etc.); to censure, condemn. Now
rare.
| α 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 220 Þat non haþel..mihte alegge any lak our lif to reproue. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 401 Thyne arte is to be reprovede that schewede not this to the before. 1483 Caxton Cato F viij, Tho ben fooles that blamen and reprouen the tyme, sayeng that the tyme is cause of theyr sekenesse. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 54 If he come to our stall, and reprooue our ballance when they are faultie. 1615 J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 20 Envy loves That humor best, which bitterly reproves All states. 1658 Evelyn Fr. Gard. (1675) 58, I do not utterly reprove the graffing of the wood, though but of one year. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 169 He tried each art, reproved each dull delay. 1820 Shelley Fiordispina 40 Lulled by the voice they love, which did reprove The childish pity that she felt for them. |
| β c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 9 Ȝif þei haten..trewe men to techen frely holy writt and repreuen synne. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione ii. ii. 42 Oþir men knowe oure defautes & repreue hem. 1513 Douglas æneis i. Prol. 106 My werk or ȝe repreif Considdir it warlie, reid oftair than anis. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. vii. 82 Quhat preachour this repreif, I pray ȝow, durst? |
3. To reprehend, rebuke, blame, chide, or find fault with (a person). Also
const. for,
† of.
| α a 1325 Prose Psalter xlix. 9 Y ne shal nouȝt repruue þe in þy sacrifices. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5314 Alle þis sall he do þos openly To reprove þe synful men þar-by. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xv. 70 Me thoȝt grete schame þat Sarzenes..schuld þus reproue vs of oure inperfiteness. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xxxvi. 8 [For] On thyng that he dyde At Rome, Reproved he was be Clergies dome. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 729 Reproouing and reuiling him with such yll wordes..that all the hearers abhorred it. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 761 What if thy Son Prove disobedient, and reprov'd retort, Wherefore didst thou beget me? 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic i. iv. (1840) 95 Others suggest, that Noah having reproved and reproached Canaan for some crime,..the Devil took hold of his resentment. 1855 Tennyson Maud i. xx. i, Was it gentle to reprove her..? 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) II. i. iii. 27 You praise us—reprove us, It doesn't move us. |
| β 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3722 Ȝyf þou for wraþþe madyst chydyng, Or repreuedyst a man of vyle þyng. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 261 God in þe gospel grymly repreueth Alle þat lakken any lyf. 1483 Caxton Cato 4 Of Saynt Ambrose that repreuyed openly themperour of his synne. 1549 Compl. Scot. xv. 123 Thou repreifis & accusis me of the faltis that my tua brethir committis daly. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. vi. 24 Nor suffering the least twinckling sleepe to start Into her eye..; But if the least appear'd, her eyes she streight reprieved. |
† b. To accuse or convict.
Obs. rare.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 30 Þer-for crist seiþ to þe iewis who of ȝou schal repreue me of synne. 1382 ― John xvi. 8 He schal reproue the world of synne. c 1440 York Myst. xxxii. 241 Oure poynte expresse her reproues þe Of felonye falsely and felle. |
† c. To reproach, taunt. Const.
of.
Obs. rare—1.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11665 Þey repreue vs of our auncessours Þat þey ouer-cam þem wyþ harde stours; Of pouerte þey make vmbreyd. |
4. absol. To employ reprehension or rebuke.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xiii. 6 Þaire mouth is ay redy to myssay and reproue. 1382 Wyclif Prov. xxv. 10 Lest perauenture he asaile to thee, whan he shal heren, and to repreuen cese not. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 29 Al the writ quhilk is inspirit..is profetabil to tech, to reprw, to correk. 1611 Bible 2 Tim. iv. 2 Reprooue, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering & doctrine. 1766 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. i. 36 Reprove only when you must. 1821 Shelley Epipsych. 603 The troop which errs, and which reproves. 1876 M. E. Braddon J. Haggard's Dau. I. 11 He came to the water-side tavern to reprove and exhort. |
† 5. To disprove; to prove (an idea, statement, etc.) to be false or erroneous.
Obs.| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. met. iv. 130 (Camb. MS.), Whan it retorneth in to hym self it reproeueth and distroyet the false thinges by the trewe thinges. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 345 ‘Contra’, quod I, ‘bi cryste þat can I repreue’. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lxxxv. (1869) 49 For to assoile better þine argumentes þat seist j haue falsed and repreved þi gretteste principle. 1538 Bale God's Promises ii, All thys is true, Lorde, I cannot thy wordes reprove. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 40 Reproue my allegation, if you can, Or else conclude my words effectuall. 1691 Ray Creation i. (1692) 25 This confident Assertion of DesCartes is fully examined and reproved by..Mr. Boyl. |
† b. To refute or confute (a person).
Obs.| 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 101 Men in this vocatioun..suld..be..potent to repreue and conuict the gainsayaris of the samin. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. ix. 42 b, Where he sayth the second to lye on the North part, he may by the view & eisight onely be reproued, being in deed towards the East. 1601 Holland Pliny xvi. xxxi, Deceived they are, and may be reproved by the instance of fig-trees. |
† 6. To impair, diminish.
Obs. rare.
| 1450–80 tr. Secreta Secret. 9 Kepe euyr temperaunce in largete.., ne neuer repreue thi yeftis with ayentakyng. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 403 Hee sheweth that his loue is so farre from being reproued, that it is augmented. 1590 Greenwood Collect. Sclaund. Art. G ij b, This is hit that..maketh all the syluer saints..to bestur them, least their portions should be reproued; They would gladly haue their portions improued. |