Expostulation

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Expostulation \Ex*pos`tu*la"tion\, n. [L. expostulatio.]
     The act of expostulating or reasoning with a person in
     opposition to some impropriety of conduct; remonstrance;
     earnest and kindly protest; dissuasion.
     [1913 Webster]
  


           We must use expostulation kindly.        --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  expostulation
       n 1: the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest [syn: {remonstrance},
             {objection}]
       2: an exclamation of protest or remonstrance or reproof

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  EXPOSTULATION, n.  One of the many methods by which fools prefer to
  lose their friends.