harangue
/hə'ræɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A lengthy, aggressive, and often loud speech delivered with strong emotion, typically intended to persuade, criticize, or incite an audience. It often has a negative connotation of being bombastic, tedious, or overly forceful.
Verb:
- To deliver such a speech; to address someone or a group in a forceful, ranting, or declamatory manner.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- The politician's speech was more of a tiresome harangue than a persuasive argument.
- We had to listen to a long harangue from our boss about office punctuality.
Verb:
- The coach harangued the team for their lack of effort at halftime.
- He stood on the street corner, haranguing passersby about his political views.
Advanced Usage
"To go on a harangue": To launch into a long, critical speech.
- Every time we mention the budget, the manager goes on a harangue about fiscal responsibility.
"Subject someone to a harangue": To force someone to listen to a lengthy, aggressive speech.
- The unfortunate intern was subjected to a 30-minute harangue for a minor formatting error.
Variants and Related Words
- Haranguer (n): A person who delivers harangues.
- The protest was led by a famous haranguer known for his fiery rhetoric.
Synonyms
- Tirade: A long, angry speech of criticism or accusation.
- Diatribe: A forceful and bitter verbal attack.
- Sermon: A long or tedious moralizing talk (used informally and negatively).
- Rant: To speak or shout at length in an angry, impassioned way.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
(Note: "Harangue" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its usage is typically direct: "harangue someone.")
Related Idioms
- "To read/treat someone the riot act": To give someone a severe reprimand or warning. This is conceptually similar to haranguing someone.
- After the prank, the principal read them the riot act.
Noun
- a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
Verb
- deliver a harangue to; address forcefully