castigate

[kas-ti-geyt]

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verb (used with object), cas·ti·gat·ed, cas·ti·gat·ing.

to criticize or reprimand severely.
to punish in order to correct.

Origin of castigate

1600–10; < Latin castīgātus literally, driven to be faultless (past participle of castigāre to chasten), equivalent to cast(us) pure, chaste + -īg-, combining form of agere to drive, incite + -ātus -ate¹

Related formscas·ti·ga·tion, nouncas·ti·ga·tive, cas·ti·ga·to·ry

[kas-ti-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] /ˈkæs tɪ gəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectivecas·ti·ga·tor, nounnon·cas·ti·gat·ing, adjectivenon·cas·ti·ga·tion, nounself-cas·ti·gat·ing, adjectiveself-cas·ti·ga·tion, nounun·cas·ti·gat·ed, adjectiveun·cas·ti·ga·tive, adjective

Synonyms for castigate

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1. scold, reprove. 2. discipline, chastise, chasten.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for castigation

retribution, discipline, scolding, chastisement, penalty, reproof

Examples from the Web for castigation

Historical Examples of castigation

Or would he fail to fathom her identity and so lay himself open to her castigation?
Nobody
Louis Joseph Vance
After this castigation he spent the night in the crypt, fasting and barefooted.
The Cathedral Church of Canterbury [2nd ed.].
Hartley Withers
There was a new man at the head of the Department of Castigation.
The Works of Rudyard Kipling: One Volume Edition
Rudyard Kipling
It is not something to be discharged from the body by fasting and castigation.
Epistle Sermons, Vol. II
Martin Luther
But the pain inflicted was to disappear with the first castigation.
History of the United Netherlands, 1584-86, Vol. I. (of IV) Complete
John Lothrop Motley

British Dictionary definitions for castigation

castigate

verb

(tr) to rebuke or criticize in a severe manner; chastise

Derived Formscastigation, nouncastigator, nouncastigatory, adjective

Word Origin for castigate

C17: from Latin castīgāre to correct, punish, from castum pure + agere to compel (to be)

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

Word Origin and History for castigation

late 14c., castigacioun, from Latin castigationem (nominative castigatio) "a correcting, reproof, chastizing," noun of action from past participle stem of castigare (see castigate).

castigate

c.1600, from Latin castigatus, past participle of castigare "to correct, set right; purify; chastise, punish," from castus "pure" (see caste) + agere "to do" (see act (n.)). The notion behind the word is "make someone pure by correcting or reproving him."

If thou didst put this soure cold habit on To castigate thy pride, 'twere well. [Shakespeare, "Timon" IV.iii (1607)]

Related: Castigated; castigating; castigator; castigatory.