The word "reprove" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express disapproval of someone's behavior or actions. Example sentence: The teacher reproved the student for failing to turn in his assignment on time.
But Mr Cardoso had to reprove him publicly for refusing to talk.
Recently, residents have been stirred out of their habitual calm by a heavy-handed official effort to reprove their listening habits.
When he called a young partner at his bank into his office to reprove him for being caught in an adulterous affair, the lad is said to have protested: "But, sir, you and the other partners do the same thing yourselves behind closed doors".
Moreover, his brother Duarte, especially after becoming king, did not hesitate to lecture and reprove Henry for such shortcomings as extravagance, unmethodical habits, failure to keep promises, and lack of scruples in the raising of money.
(Ps. 38 1) Yahweh, do not punish me in your rage, or reprove me in the heat of anger.
Another example is in the first stanza of William Wordsworth's poem "Ode to Duty": Stern Daughter of the Voice of God! O Duty! if that name thou love Who are a light to guide, a rod To check the erring, and reprove; Thou, who art victory and law When empty terrors overawe; From vain temptations dost set free; And calm'st the weary strife of frail humanity!
Since Mr Abacha took over in 1993, Britain and America have tried reproving words and mild sanctions to push him towards democracy.
Mr Wiseman admires the "craftsman" Louis Kahn, reproves the intellectual Peter Eisenman and distrusts the trend to fantasy.
Beijing University put up notices reproving students for some rowdy behaviour and ordering calm.
In his annual state address, he also called for more defence spending, and reproved external critics and enemies.Nicolas Sarkozy, France's interior minister and would-be president, testified to investigating judges in the "Clearstream affair".
Jacob rebuked Simeon and Levi for arousing the enmity of neighbouring tribes and, on his deathbed, gave his blessing to their younger brother Judah, reproving Simeon and Levi for their cruelty.
