The act of scolding someone gently, or expressing disapproval in a somewhat mild way; can also mean scolding in tone or manner.
Present participle of 'chide,' formed by adding '-ing' to the base verb. This gerund form became common in English to describe both the action and the quality of being reproachful.
When we use 'chiding' as an adjective—like 'a chiding tone'—we're describing a very specific emotion: disapproval mixed with affection, which is why parents and teachers use this word so often when they're disappointed but still care.
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