inveigh

present singular third person inveighs · participle present inveighing · participle past inveighed · past inveighed · alternative dated enveigh

1. intransitiveformerly also with on; at; upon; formerly also with on; at; uponTo complain loudly, to give voice to one's censure or criticismFirst known use 16th c.

   Only last week, three aggressively written pamphlets crossed my desk inveighing against the euro.

   1999 September 26, Will Hutton, “A pox on euro sceptics”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 Jan 2025

   5 more examples

   Very largely haue I inueighed againſt this vice [gluttony] elſvvhere, vvherefore heere I vvill truſſe it vp more ſurcinct;^([sic – meaning succinct]) […]

   1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 76, verso

   He inveighed against the folly of making oneself liable for the debts of others; vented many bitter execrations against the brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the unfortunate family.

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

   I saw Mr. Cairns yesterday. He inveighed at great length at what he called Mr. Willis's neglect of his children, saying he had just discovered that they got no whortleberries and no fish, and that he was just beginning to send them those things.

   1860, William Cullen Bryant, letter, 14 Sep 1860

   Noblemen loyal to King Milo inveighed upon him, until at last he sent off dispatches to King Audry and King Aillas, alerting them to the peculiar rash of forays, raids and provocations current along the Lyonesse border.

   1989, Jack Vance, Madouc

   After the President, in a press conference in late June, inveighed against tax breaks for corporate jets, the industry quickly insisted that such a change would cost jobs.

   2011 August 18, Elizabeth Drew, “What were they thinking?”, in New York Review of Books

   Synonyms: invect

2. obsoletetransitiveTo draw in or away; to entice, inveigle.First known use 17th–19th c.

   He is a Spirit, that inveighs away a Man from himself, undertakes great Matters for him, and after fells him for a Slave.

   a. 1681 (date written), Samuel Butler, edited by R[obert] Thyer, The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr. Samuel Butler, […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1759, →OCLC