Word of the Day

: March 28, 2007

inveigh

verb in-VAY

What It Means

: to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently : rail

inveigh in Context

The senator inveighed against the new FDA regulations, claiming they allow loopholes for manufacturers.

Did You Know?

You might complain or grumble about some wrong you see, or, for a stronger effect, you can "inveigh" against it. "Inveigh" comes from the Latin verb "invehere," which joins the prefix "in-" with the verb "vehere," meaning "to carry." "Invehere" literally means "to carry in," and when "inveigh" first appeared in English, it was also used to mean "to carry in" or "to introduce." Extended meanings of "invehere," however, are "to force one's way into," "attack," and "to assail with words," and that's where the current sense of "inveigh" comes from. A closely related word is "invective," which means "insulting or abusive language." This word, too, ultimately comes from "invehere."