| Main Entry: | lay into |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize, attack |
Synonyms: |
assail, battle, belabor, fire at, invade, lambaste, let fly at, set about |
Antonyms: |
compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | assail |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack, usually with words |
Synonyms: |
abuse, assault, bash, berate, beset, blast, blister, bust, charge, come at, criticize, encounter, have at, impugn, invade, lambaste, lay into, malign, maltreat, molest, revile, set upon, trash*, vilify, work over |
| Notes: | to assail a task is to approach it with the intent of mastering it, from Latin salire 'to leap'; assault is also based on this word and assail and assault can be synonyms |
| Main Entry: | assault |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack |
Synonyms: |
abuse, advance, assail, bash, beset, blast, blitz, bushwhack, charge, come down on, go for, haul off on, invade, jump, jump down one's throat, jump on one's case, lay into, let have it, light into, rape, ruin, set upon, shoot down, slam, slap around, storm, strike, trash, violate, work over, zap |
| Main Entry: | attack |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assault verbally |
Synonyms: |
abuse, berate, blame, blitz, censure, criticize, impugn, jump down one's throat, jump on one's case, lay into, malign, refute, reprove, revile, shoot down, stretch, vilify |
Antonyms: |
defend, resist, submit, withstand |
| Main Entry: | chastise |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | scold, discipline |
Synonyms: |
baste, beat, berate, castigate, censure, chasten, chew out, climb all over, correct, ferule, flog, lash, lay into, lean on, pummel, punish, ream, scourge, skelp, slap down, spank, thrash, upbraid, whip |
Antonyms: |
cheer, comfort, compliment, encourage, forgive, inspirit, promote |
| Main Entry: | contend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue |
Synonyms: |
affirm, allege, assert, aver, avow, blast, charge, claim, come at, cross, debate, defend, dictate, dispute, enjoin, fly in face of, gang up on, go at, have at, have bone to pick, hold, insist, jump on, justify, lace into, lay into, let have it, light into, lock horns with, maintain, mix, mix it up, prescribe, put up argument, report, rip*, say, set to, sock it to one, stick it to, take on, tell, urge, vindicate, warrant, zap |
Antonyms: |
cede, give in, give up, surrender |
| Main Entry: | disagree |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue; hold differing opinion |
Synonyms: |
altercate, battle, bicker, brawl, break with, bring action, clash, contend, contest, controversialize, controvert, debate, differ, disaccord, discept, discord, dispute, dissent, divide, fall out, feud, fight, go for the jugular, haggle, have words, jump on, lay into, let have it, logomachize, object, oppose, palter, quarrel, quibble, rip, row, scrap, set to, skirmish, spar, spat, sue, take issue, take on, war, wrangle, zap |
Antonyms: |
accept, acquiesce, agree, concur, consent |
| Main Entry: | fight |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | oppose action, belief |
Synonyms: |
argue, bicker, buck*, buckle down, carry on, combat, conduct, contest, continue, defy, dispute, effect, endure, engage in, exert oneself, fall out, force, further, hammer away, hassle, lay into, light into, maintain, make a stand against, oppose, persevere, persist, prosecute, push forward, put up an argument, repel, resist, row, spare no effort, squabble, stand up to, strive, struggle, support, take on, take pains, tangle with, toil on, travail, traverse, uphold, wage, withstand, wrangle |
Antonyms: |
agree, believe, support, uphold |
| Main Entry: | inveigh |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blame, denounce |
Synonyms: |
admonish, berate, blast, castigate, censure, condemn, crack down on, except, expostulate, go after, have at, jump down one's throat, kick, lambaste, lay into, lay out, let have it, object, protest, rail, read out, recriminate, remonstrate, reproach, rip into, roast, scold, scorch, sound off, tongue-lash, trash*, upbraid, vituperate, work over |
Antonyms: |
flatter, praise |
| Main Entry: | rebuke |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reprimand; criticize harshly |
Synonyms: |
admonish, bawl out, berate, blame, call on the carpet, carp on, castigate, censure, chew out, chide, climb all over, dress down, fry, go after, jawbone, jump down one's throat, jump on, lay into, lean on, lecture, lesson, monish, oppose, pay, rake, read*, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, rip*, scold, sit on, sound off, take to task, tear apart, tell off, tick off, upbraid, zap |
Antonyms: |
compliment, flatter, praise |