The difference between Take to task and Upbraid

When used as verbs, take to task means to lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions, whereas upbraid means to criticize severely.


Upbraid is also noun with the meaning: the act of reproaching.

check bellow for the other definitions of Take to task and Upbraid

  1. Take to task as a verb (idiomatic):

    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

  1. Upbraid as a verb (transitive):

    To criticize severely.

  2. Upbraid as a verb (transitive, archaic):

    To charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach; to cast something in the teeth of; – followed by with or for, and formerly of, before the thing imputed.

  3. Upbraid as a verb (obsolete):

    To treat with contempt.

  4. Upbraid as a verb (obsolete):

    To object or urge as a matter of reproach; to cast up; – with to before the person.

  5. Upbraid as a verb (archaic, intransitive):

    To utter upbraidings.

  6. Upbraid as a verb (UK, _, dialectal, Northern England):

    To rise on the stomach; vomit; retch.

  1. Upbraid as a noun (obsolete):

    The act of reproaching; contumely.

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