Legal Definitions - common scold

Definition: A common scold is someone who habitually and publicly nags, quarrels, or argues with others, causing a disturbance in the community.

Example: Mary was known as the common scold in her neighborhood because she would often yell and argue with her neighbors over small things like parking spaces or noise levels.

Explanation: The example illustrates the definition of a common scold by showing how Mary's behavior of constantly arguing and causing a disturbance in her community earned her the reputation of being a common scold.

Example: In colonial America, common scolds were punished by being placed in a "scold's bridle," a metal mask with a protruding piece that would be inserted into the mouth to prevent the person from speaking.

Explanation: This example provides historical context and shows how seriously common scolding was taken in the past, with punishments that were often cruel and unusual.