inveigh

1 complain bitterly [syn: rail]

2 speak against in an impassioned manner; "he declaimed against the wasteful ways of modern society" [syn: declaim]

English

Etymology

From invehere, invectum, to carry or bring into or against, to attack with words, to inveigh; pref. in- in + vehere to carry. See Vehicle, and compare with Invective.

Pronunciation

IPA: WEAE /ɪnˈveɪ/ (see rhymes)

Verb

1. To declaim or rail (against some person or thing); to utter censorious and bitter language; to attack with harsh criticism or reproach, either spoken or written; to use invectives;
2. (with against) as, to inveigh against character, conduct, manners, customs, morals, a law, an abuse.

   All men inveighed against him; all men, except court vassals, opposed him. —Milton.

   The artificial life against which we inveighed. —Hawthorne.

Quotations

A reader assures me, following the recent assault on my behavior that warned me about the Bible inveighing against being "judgmental," that I've nothing to fear in the way of divine wrath: ... —James Randi in his August 22, 2003 newsletter

Usage notes

Sometimes confused with inveigle

Derived terms

• inveigh against