keelhaul

American

[keel-hawl] / ˈkilˌhɔl /

Also keelhale

verb (used with object)

Nautical. to haul (an offender) under the bottom of a ship and up on the other side as a punishment.
to rebuke severely.

keelhaul British

/ ˈkiːlˌhɔːl /

verb

to drag (a person) by a rope from one side of a vessel to the other through the water under the keel
to rebuke harshly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of keelhaul

From the Dutch word kielhalen, dating back to 1660–70. See keel ¹, haul

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Keelhaul me, if I want to stay at this island any longer!"

From Doubloons—and the Girl by Forbes, John Maxwell

Keelhaul th' main scuppers; lash th' anchor to th' mast!

From Gold Out of Celebes by Dingle, Aylward Edward

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023