Reprove, Castigate, Bemused, Flagging
The Filthy Easy Guide to Vocab: Volume 1
Another day, another few words for you to learn in the bathroom while avoiding your boss.
Reprove- to gently criticize or reprimand
Ex: Fully expecting to just be reproved for his workplace conduct at the weekly meeting, Hugh G. Tool was stunned when human resources decided to actually launch an investigation into his misogyny. It turns out commenting on Tanya’s “honkers” and comparing her driving ability to a “blind 85-year-old with nerve damage in her legs and arthritic hands” warranted more than just a light scolding.
Castigate- to harshly rebuke, berate
Ex: The strict teacher castigated the boys for having a sword fight at the urinals.
Bemused- confused, bewildered
Ex: The sight of a Hasidic Jew in the NBA left Daveon bemused.
Flagging- tired, lessened in strength
Ex: The flagging 1992 Fiat Tempra sputtered to a stop in front of the café. Gonzalo dreamt of upgrading to a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, but he lived the unglamorous life of a lowly pasta maker in Parma. He had no extra money with which to splurge on fanciful items. When he did have a couple spare euros, Gonzalo liked to subscribe to a new OnlyFans page. Hey, don’t judge Gonzalo, this is him, it’s not pretty, but it’s his life. I bet he didn’t think this would appear in a newsletter anywhere, let alone a vocabulary newsletter (yes, that is what this is, if you’ve forgotten), so cut him some slack.