Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To punish, as for wrongdoing. synonym: punish.
  • transitive verb To criticize severely; reprimand or rebuke.
  • transitive verb Archaic To purify.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To inflict pain upon by stripes, blows, or otherwise, for the purpose of punishing and recalling to duty; punish for the purpose of amending; correct or reclaim by punishment.
  • To discipline; instruct; correct the errors or faults of.
  • To reduce to submission; tame.
  • To restrain or refine by discipline; free from faults or excesses.
  • Synonyms Punish, Chasten, Chastise. To punish is primarily and chiefly to inflict pain upon, as a retribution for misdeeds, the notion of improving the offender being absent or quite subordinate. Chasten, on the other hand, implies that the reformation of the offender is the aim of the punishment inflicted. The word is not now often used of human acts; it is a biblical word for the providential discipline of man: as, “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Heb. xii. 6); and such expressions as “the chastening influence of sorrow” are in use. Chastise is a dignified word for corporal punishment, combining in nearly equal degrees the notions of desert and correction.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To inflict pain upon, by means of stripes, or in any other manner, for the purpose of punishment or reformation; to punish, as with stripes.
  • transitive verb To reduce to order or obedience; to correct or purify; to free from faults or excesses.
  • transitive verb To criticize (a person) strongly and directly in order to correct behavior.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To punish or scold someone.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb censure severely

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English chastisen, alteration of chasten, chastien; see chasten.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old French chastier, from Latin castigo

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Examples

  • The word chastise here means to scourge or to whip.

    Barnes New Testament Notes 1949

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    Archive 2004-04-01 2004

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    On a brighter note... 2004

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    OK, 'rabid dogs' will work... 2004

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    If you don't know what FUBAR means... 2004

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    1000 words aren't needed... 2004

  • One thing he didn't do, and has never done, was 'chastise' the troops, and as regards morale, I was a GI in Vietnam in 1971, and will happily report that for me and those around me, the knowledge that people in the States were speaking up on our behalf and testifying about the insanity that surrounded us was one of the few bright spots on the morale front.

    Amazing, isn't it? 2004

  • On the other hand, why is it the governor's duty to "chastise" her church ( "Naughty church!"?) on theological points?

    The White Peril 白禍 2008

  • On the other hand, why is it the governor's duty to "chastise" her church ( "Naughty church!"?) on theological points?

    The White Peril 白禍 2008

  • Not according to a title search for the word "chastise".

    Latest Articles 2008

Comments

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  • Regardless, she did not mean to chastise me for it. book is Blood Promise by Richelle Mean on page 485.

    September 27, 2010

  • verb: to reprimand harshly

    Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother’s harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.

    October 11, 2016