ferule

¹ American  

[fer-uhl, -ool] / ˈfɛr əl, -ul /

noun

1. Also a rod, cane, or flat piece of wood for punishing children, especially by striking them on the hand.

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verb (used with object)

feruled, feruling

1. to punish with a ferule.

ferule ² American  

[fer-uhl, -ool] / ˈfɛr əl, -ul /

noun

feruled, feruling

1. ferrule.

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ferule ¹ British  

/ -rəl, ˈfɛruːl /

noun

1. a flat piece of wood, such as a ruler, used in some schools to cane children on the hand

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verb

1. rare (tr) to punish with a ferule

ferule ² British  

/ ˈfɛruːl, -rəl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of ferrule

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Etymology

Origin of ferule

1375–1425; late Middle English ferula, ferul ( e ) giant fennel < Latin ferula schoolmaster's rod (literally, stalk of giant fennel); replacing Old English ferele < Latin

Example Sentences

A kind of miracle happened: the ferule of the teacher became the poet's magic wand.

From Time Magazine Archive

Yen picked up his ferule and hit it like a student.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

But the ferule, the pen, the pestle, I abhor.

From Faithful Margaret A Novel by Ashmore, Annie

The ferrule of a walking-stick is a distinct word from ferule, an aid to education.

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest

The ferule always lies upon the teacher’s desk, and serves also as a tally.

From Village Life in China A Study in Sociology by Smith, Arthur H.

Related Words

• berate
• castigate
• censure
• flog
• lash
• punish
• upbraid