Hector

/ˈhɛktər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a person who intimidates or bullies others.

The hector in the group made it difficult for anyone to voice their opinions openly.

verb

to bully or intimidate someone.

The manager would hector his employees into working overtime without additional pay.

to tease or annoy someone in a bullying way.

He started to hector her about her choices in music, making her feel belittled.

to use threats or aggressive behavior to force someone to do something.

They tried to hector the student into giving up his summer plans.

Late 19th century: named after Hector, a hero in Greek mythology who was known for his strength and defiance.

hectoring tone

A tone that is aggressive or domineering.

to hector someone

To bully or intimidate someone into submission.

bully

A person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate others.

intimidate

To frighten or overawe someone, especially in order to make them do what one wants.

To mess with someone or give them a hard time.

Stop hectoring me about my homework!

To boss someone around or act superior.

He always hectors the new hires until they get it right.