What does chide mean?
To chide is to scold or rebuke someone, usually in a mild or measured way, for a fault, mistake, or shortcoming. Unlike harsher words such as 'berate' or 'upbraid', chide suggests disapproval tempered by restraint — a parent may chide a child for staying out late, or an editor may chide a columnist for sloppy reasoning. The verb often appears with 'for' introducing the offence, as in 'she chided him for his carelessness', and it can be used reflexively, as when one chides oneself over a lapse in judgment. Somewhat formal or literary in register, chide lends writing a tone of dignified, gentle correction rather than open anger. The word is ancient, descending directly from Old English 'cidan', meaning to strive or contend, which gives it a pedigree stretching back more than a thousand years.
To scold or rebuke someone, especially mildly or moderately.
"The coach chided the team for their lacklustre performance."
Usually followed by 'for' + the fault.
To criticize or reproach oneself.
"She chided herself for not double-checking the figures."
A common construction in written English.
A scolding or rebuke; an act of chiding.
"He bore the old man's chides without complaint."
Rare and largely obsolete today.
The noun form 'chide' (a scolding) is archaic; its plural is correspondingly rare in modern usage.
"She endured his frequent chides about her handwriting."
"Chide" has been scolding English speakers since before the Norman Conquest — it comes straight from Old English and has outlived nearly every rival word for telling someone off.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chide
Chide descends from the Old English verb 'cidan', meaning to contend, quarrel, or complain loudly, making it one of the oldest verbs of reproach in the language. Its further origins are obscure; it has been suggested that it may be related to Old Norse, though this connection remains uncertain. Over the centuries its sense softened from heated contention to milder verbal criticism, yielding the modern meaning of gentle scolding. A now-archaic sense of making an uproar survives chiefly in older literature, notably Shakespeare's phrase 'the chidden billow'.
Related word forms
How chide is actually used
Chide is a relatively formal or literary word, softer than 'rebuke' or 'berate' but stronger than a casual complaint. It often implies affectionate or mild disapproval rather than anger, and is frequently used reflexively ('chide oneself').