discipline

American  

[dis-uh-plin] / ˈdɪs ə plɪn /

noun

1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill.

   military discipline.

2. an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill; training.

   Sticking to specific and regular mealtimes is excellent discipline for many dieters.

3. a branch of instruction or learning.

   the disciplines of history and economics.

4. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

   Synonyms:

   castigation, chastisement

5. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc..

   the harsh discipline of poverty.

6. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control.

   good discipline in an army.

7. a set or system of rules and regulations.

8. Ecclesiastical. the system of government regulating the practice of a church as distinguished from its doctrine.

9. an instrument of punishment, especially a whip or scourge, used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.

---

verb (used with object)

disciplined, disciplining

1. to train by instruction and exercise; drill.

2. to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.

3. to punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.

discipline British  

/ ˈdɪsɪˌplɪnəl, ˈdɪsɪplɪn, ˌdɪsɪˈplaɪnəl /

noun

1. training or conditions imposed for the improvement of physical powers, self-control, etc

2. systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority

3. the state of improved behaviour, etc, resulting from such training or conditions

4. punishment or chastisement

5. a system of rules for behaviour, methods of practice, etc

6. a branch of learning or instruction

7. the laws governing members of a Church

8. a scourge of knotted cords

---

verb

1. to improve or attempt to improve the behaviour, orderliness, etc, of by training, conditions, or rules

2. to punish or correct

Related Words

See punish.

Other Word Forms

• disciplinable adjective
• disciplinal adjective
• discipliner noun
• multidiscipline noun
• nondisciplining adjective
• overdiscipline verb
• prediscipline noun
• rediscipline verb (used with object)
• subdiscipline noun

Etymology

Origin of discipline

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin disciplīna “instruction, tuition,” equivalent to discipul(us) “pupil, learner, trainee” + -ina noun suffix; disciple; -ine ²

Example Sentences

The elite athlete is capable of tremendous discipline.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Reconfirm the current framework, signal discipline and avoid becoming the source of volatility while geopolitics is doing that job for free.”

From MarketWatch

A black, polished sliding door delivers you into a reception room whose pomp is disciplined by marble piers, dark patinated-bronze framing panels, and—most memorably—walls sheathed in gold mosaic and red marble.

From The Wall Street Journal

While time is working against late savers, financial experts say it is possible to get on track in a short amount of time with a clear and focused plan and extreme discipline.

From MarketWatch

For all its appeal as a roadmap, Mr. Newman’s method may work better for some disciplines than others.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• control
• development
• education
• method
• practice
• preparation
• regulation
• restraint
• self-control
• self-restraint
• will