Words / C2

HEKT-uh/ˈhektə/

To hector is to talk to someone in a bullying, lecturing way: hector the panel, a hectoring tone. Bully and lecture are everyday; harangue (already in the dictionary) is a long angry speech. Hector as a name is Homeric. Do not hector a junior for asking where the date went.

Meaning

To speak to someone in a bullying, lecturing way.

Examples

• “Do not hector a junior for asking where the date went.”
• “Bully is everyday. Lecture can be fair teaching; hectoring is the aggressive version. A harangue is a speech (already in C2). A named Homeric hero is the source. A question about a date is diligence.”

Good to know

Bully with words; browbeat. Everyday: bully / lecture (aggressive). Close: harangue (a speech). Not a fair question about a missing date.

Near in meaning

bully

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