Definitions

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

  • transitive verb To beat with a club; cudgel.
  • transitive verb To criticize harshly.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To beat with a cudgel; cane.

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

  • transitive verb rare To cudgel.

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

  • verb transitive To hit someone with a club.
  • verb figuratively To harshly criticize someone.

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

  • verb strike with a cudgel

Etymologies

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

[Late Latin fūstigāre, fūstigāt- : Latin fūstis, club + Latin agere, to do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin fustigatus, past participle of fustigo ("I cudgel to death"), from fustis ("a cudgel") + ago ("I act").

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Examples

  • We do not trouble ourselves to conduct our affairs in a diplomatic, reasoned fashion, we bloviate, fustigate, and bomb whoever makes us feel more “American” at the moment.

    Firedoglake » And In This Corner…Juan Cole 2006

  • "This is all very fine: but the simple fact is, it is beginning to rain, and I think it advisable for us to beat, fustigate, (where _did_ you get that, Miranda?) or wallop, a retreat!"

    The Merryweathers Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards 1896

  • For the Patriot women take their hazel wands, and fustigate, amid laughter of bystanders, with alacrity: broad bottom of

    The French Revolution Thomas Carlyle 1838

  • The Demoiselle, keeping her carriage, is for Liberty indeed, as she has full well shewn; but then for Liberty with Respectability: whereupon these serpent-haired Extreme She-Patriots now do fasten on her, tatter her, shamefully fustigate her, in their shameful way; almost fling her into the Garden-ponds, had not help intervened.

    The French Revolution Thomas Carlyle 1838

  • Hai!” switching the camel, and fruitlessly endeavouring to fustigate Mas’ud’s nephew, who resolutely slept upon the water-bags.

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah 2003

Comments

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  • One of the achievements in Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is called "Fustigate Raoh."

    July 26, 2012

  • Invasions of mice I must abate

    When I open the house to rusticate.

    If I determine

    The presence of vermin

    I get out my cudgel and fustigate.

    January 22, 2016