The noun is from Middle English scold, skald(e), first attested in the 12th or 13th century (as scold, scolde, skolde, skald).

• (British) IPA: /skəʊld/, [skɒʊɫd]
• (America) IPA: /skoʊld/

scold (plural scolds)

1. A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
   • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.:

     A ſclaunderous tunge, a tunge of a ſkolde,
     Worketh more miſchiefe than can be tolde;
     That, if I wiſt not to be controlde,
     Yet ſomwhat to ſay I dare well be bolde,
     How ſome delite for to lye, thycke and threfolde.

   • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part II, XVIII [Uniform ed., p. 196]:

     “Well, I won’t have it, and that’s enough.” She laughed, for her voice had a little been that of the professional scold.

• See Thesaurus:shrew

• scold's bridle

• French: chipie, furie, mégère
• German: Beißzange, Xanthippe
• Italian: bisbetica, brontolona, megera, linguaccia, linguacciuta
• Portuguese: megera
• Russian: сварли́вая же́нщина

scold (scolds, present participle scolding; simple past and past participle scolded)

1. (ambitransitive) To rebuke angrily.

   I advise that you refrain from using that kind of language at home, lest your mother scold you.

   • 1813 January 26, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC ↗:

     A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her —

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC ↗:

     Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.

2. (ornithology) Of birds, to make harsh vocalisations in aggression.
3. Of birds, to make vocalisations that resemble human scolding.
4. Misconstruction of scald

• See Thesaurus:criticize

• French: gronder, réprimander, tancer
• German: beschimpfen, schelten, tadeln, ausschimpfen
• Italian: sgridare, rimproverare, riprendere
• Portuguese: ralhar, repreender
• Russian: брани́ть
• Spanish: regañar, retar, reñir