v. Obs. Also 6–9 exprobate. [f. L. exprobrāt- ppl. stem of exprobrāre to make a matter of reproach, f. ex- (see EX- pref.1) + probrum shameful deed. The variant exprobate appears to arise from association with reprobate; cf. It. esprobare.]
† 1. To make (a thing) a subject of reproach; to ‘cast in one’s teeth.’ Of a thing: To manifest to a person’s shame. Const. to, unto, or dat. Obs.
1543. Grafton, Contn. Harding, 438. He myght … exprobrate vnto hym the pleasures yt he had done for hym.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1590), 263 b. His seruice, the more diligent it was, the more it did exprobate (as she thought) vnto her, her vnworthie estate.
1583. Fulke, Defence, xvii. 510. You exprobrate to us our knowledge in the tongues.
1604. Parsons, 3rd Pt. Three Convers. Eng., 136. Exprobratinge vnto them that they did honour the Crosse.
a. 1643. W. Cartwright, Siege, II. vi. He Shall … avoid Thy sight, as somthing that doth exprobrate His sins unto him.
a. 1670. Hacket, Cent. Serm. (1675), 149. Hermolaus … exprobrates him that he was violently made away.
b. with the personal object unexpressed.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Mark xvi. 14. He exprobrated their incredulity and hardness of hart.
c. 1610. Women Saints (1886), 149. Which he reputing and exprobating to be impotencie of spirite.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. xxv. § 3. 173. To exprobrate their Stupiditie, he induceth the providence of Storkes.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 738. Also there were some that stuck not to exprobrate the divulsions of Ireland.
¶ c. = REPROBATE. nonce-use.
1867. G. M. Musgrave, Nooks & Corners Old Fr., I. 333. One can hardly sufficiently exprobrate the despoiling officiousness of Carreaux.
2. To reproach (a person). Const. with.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 102. The Venetians … have not spared to exprobrate us with the nick-name of Cursore Englese.
1638. Penit. Conf., vii. (1657), 159. Many a scoffing Ismael, and railing Doeg began to exprobrate and deride the Penitents.
Hence † Exprobrating ppl. a., that reproaches, reproachful.
1673. Ladies Call., I. § 3. 54. Lest hereafter they fall under the same exprobrating remembrance with the rich man in the Gospel.
1675. Art Contentm., III. § 18. 52. That exprobrating complaint we find in the Prophet.
