common scold
Definition
Noun A person, historically and often specifically a woman, who habitually and publicly quarrels with, nags, scolds, or finds fault with others, often to the point of being considered a public nuisance.
Usage
The term "common scold" is a historical legal term. It is used to describe someone whose behavior is characterized by persistent, loud, and public fault-finding or quarreling. * In historical contexts, a common scold could be formally prosecuted as a public nuisance. * In modern usage, it is a descriptive, often archaic or literary term for a habitually quarrelsome person.
Examples
- The court records from the 18th century listed her as a , fined for disturbing the peace of the neighborhood.
- He gained a reputation as the village , always ready to argue about property lines or the noise from children playing.
- Though the law is obsolete, the label of is still sometimes used to criticize someone for their incessant nagging.
Advanced Usage
- Legal History: In English and early American common law, a "common scold" () was a specific criminal offense. Conviction could lead to punishments like the ducking stool.
- Figurative Use: The term can be used figuratively in modern writing to evoke a sense of archaic judgment or to colorfully describe someone with a relentlessly critical nature.
Variants and Related Words
- Scold (verb/noun): To reprimand or criticize angrily; a person who scolds.
- Nag (verb/noun): To annoy or irritate with persistent fault-finding; a person who nags.
- Shrew (noun): A woman of violent temper and speech; a scolding, nagging woman.
- Termagant (noun): A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
Synonyms
- Nag
- Shrew
- Fault-finder
- Harpy
- Termagant
Idioms and Related Phrases
- To scold like a fishwife: To rebuke someone in a loud, coarse, and abusive manner. (A "fishwife" was a stereotypically loud and vulgar woman who sold fish, similar in connotation to a .)
Noun
-
someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
