harangue
Meaning: A lengthy, aggressive, and forceful speech directed at someone; to lecture or berate someone at length in a critical or angry manner. Functions as both a noun and a verb.
A harangue is distinguished from a mere lecture or telling-off by its sustained intensity and its often public nature. It suggests a one-sided verbal assault in which the recipient has little opportunity to respond. As a verb, it implies badgering or bombarding someone with criticism or demands. The word appears frequently in political reporting and workplace descriptions, and collocates with 'lengthy,' 'public,' 'angry,' and 'passionate.' It can occasionally carry a more neutral sense of passionate public oratory, though the negative connotation predominates.
Examples
- The manager harangued his players at half-time after a woeful first-half performance that left the team trailing by three goals. 前半场表现糟糕、三球落后之后,主教练在中场休息时对球员们进行了严厉训斥。El entrenador recriminó duramente a sus jugadores en el descanso tras una primera parte lamentable que dejó al equipo perdiendo por tres goles.前半の惨憺たるパフォーマンスで3点のビハインドを背負い、監督はハーフタイムに選手たちを激しく叱責した。감독은 전반전의 형편없는 경기력로 3골차로 뒤진 후 하프타임에 선수들을 격렬히 질타했다.
- Residents were subjected to a twenty-minute harangue from the planning officer, who accused them of wilfully misunderstanding the proposals. 居民们被迫忍受了规划官员长达二十分钟的训斥,被指责故意曲解提案内容。Los vecinos fueron sometidos a una arenga de veinte minutos por parte del funcionario de urbanismo, que les acusó de malinterpretar deliberadamente las propuestas.住民たちは都市計画担当官から20分にわたる長い叱責を受け、提案を故意に曲解していると非難された。주민들은 도시계획 담당관으로부터 20분간의 장황한 질책을 받았으며, 제안을 고의로 곡해하고 있다는 비난을 들었다.
- The backbencher rose to harangue the Treasury bench about the impact of benefit cuts on her constituents. 那位后座议员起身就福利削减对选区居民的影响严厉质询财政部前席。La diputada se levantó para increpar al banco del Tesoro sobre el impacto de los recortes de prestaciones en sus electores.その後方議員は立ち上がり、福祉削減が選挙区住民に与える影響について財務省席を激しく追及した。그 후방 의원은 일어나서 복지 삭감이 자신의 지역구 주민에게 미치는 영향에 대해 재무부 의석을 격렬히 추궁했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general, professional
Tone: negative
Origin & History
From Old French harangue (public address), possibly from Old Italian aringa (public square, address), ultimately of Germanic origin. Entered English in the 15th century, initially as a neutral term for a formal public speech before acquiring its modern critical overtones.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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