admonish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb admonish or counsel in terms of someone's behavior
    warn; discourage; monish.
    • I warned him not to go too far
    • I warn you against false assumptions
    • She warned him to be quiet
  2. verb warn strongly; put on guard
    monish; caution.
  3. verb take to task
    reprove.
    • He admonished the child for his bad behavior

WordNet

Ad*mon"ish transitive verb
Etymology
OE. amonesten, OF. amonester, F. admonester, fr. a supposed LL. admonesstrare, fr. L. admonere to remind, warn; ad + monere to warn. See Monition.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Admonished present participle & verbal noun Admonishing
Definitions
  1. To warn or notify of a fault; to reprove gently or kindly, but seriously; to exhort. "Admonish him as a brother." 2 Thess. iii. 15.
  2. To counsel against wrong practices; to cation or advise; to warn against danger or an offense; -- followed by of, against, or a subordinate clause.
    Admonishing one another in psalms and hymns. Col. iii. 16.
    I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold The danger, and the lurking enemy. Milton.
  3. To instruct or direct; to inform; to notify.
    Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to make the tabernacle. Heb. viii. 5.

Webster 1913