expostulate

expostulate
    v 1: reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
    

Expostulate \Ex*pos"tu*late\, v. t.
   To discuss; to examine. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]

         To expostulate
         What majesty should be, what duty is.    --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Expostulate \Ex*pos"tu*late\ (?; 135), v. i. [imp. & p. p.
   {Expostulated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Expostulating}.] [L.
   expostulatus, p. p. of expostulare to demand vehemently; ex
   out + postulare to ask, require. See {Postulate}.]
   To reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of his
   conduct, representing the wrong he has done or intends, and
   urging him to make redress or to desist; to remonstrate; --
   followed by with.
   [1913 Webster]

         Men expostulate with erring friends; they bring
         accusations against enemies who have done them a wrong.
                                                  --Jowett
                                                  (Thuc. ).

   Syn: To remonstrate; reason. See {Remonstrate}.
        [1913 Webster]
    

62 Moby Thesaurus words for "expostulate":
      admonish, argue, beef, bitch, boggle, boycott, call in question,
      caution, challenge, charge, combat, complain, cry out against,
      daunt, debate, demonstrate, demonstrate against, demur, discuss,
      dispute, dissuade, encourage, enjoin, enter a protest, except,
      exhort, fight, frighten off, holler, howl, incite, induce,
      intimidate, inveigh against, issue a caveat, kick, kid out of,
      march, move, object, oppose, persuade, picket, preach,
      press objections, prompt, protest, raise a howl, rally,
      remonstrate, resist, scruple, sit in, squawk, state a grievance,
      strike, talk out of, teach in, unpersuade, urge, warn,
      yell bloody murder