expostulate

First attested circa 16th century, from Latin expostulatus, past participle of expostulo (“demand, claim”) from ex- +‎ postulo (“demand”).

• IPA^(key): /ɛksˈpɒstjʊleɪt/

expostulate (third-person singular simple present expostulates, present participle expostulating, simple past and past participle expostulated)

1. (intransitive) To protest or remonstrate; to reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of conduct.
   • 1881, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides

     Men expostulate with erring friends; they bring accusations against enemies who have done them a wrong.

   • 1719 April 25​, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], 3rd edition, London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], published 1719, OCLC 838630407:

     The tears would run plentifully down my face when I made these reflections; and sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providence should thus completely ruin His creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable; so without help, abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life.

   • 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “XI, "The Abbot’s Ways"”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, OCLC 191225086, book II (The Ancient Monk):

     […] he affectionately loved many persons to whom he never or hardly ever shewed a countenance of love. Once on my venturing to expostulate with him on the subject, he reminded me of Solomon: “Many sons I have; it is not fit that I should smile on them.”

• challenge, demur, except, inveigh, kick, object, protest, remonstrate, squawk

expostulāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of expostulō