chastise, v.
(tʃæˈstaɪz)
Forms: 4 chastise-n, chastis, chastizen, 4–5 chastyse, 4–7 chastice, 5 chastyzyn, (shastyse), (6 chaistice, -ise, chastese), 6–9 chastize, 4– chastise.
[An equivalent of the earlier chaste and chasty, the formation of which is not easily accounted for. There is no recorded med.L. castizāre, F. chastiser, and no OF. chastir, chastiss-, the usual sources of -ise, -ize in English verbs; the word is too early to be a simple English formation from chaste a. + -ize. The stress was originally always on the first syllable ˈchastise, is generally so with Shakespeare (7 times against 2), and also in later poets, as still in ˈchastisement; but already in Chaucer sometimes, and Gower often, on the second, as now.
If chastise was in some way altered from chasty, the alteration has not been accounted for. If the n. chastice had been more frequent or of earlier date in the language, it might have been suggested that the verb was formed on it.]
† 1. To correct (authoritatively) the faults of; to amend, reform, improve (a person or thing). Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 28 To chastise alle oþer he tok vengeance on him. c 1386 Chaucer Monk's T. 515 ffor he fro vices wolde hym chastise Discreetly as by word and nat by dede. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 24 A woman may chastise her husbonde, and make hym do welle, with fairnesse rather than with rudenesse. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 7 He that wyl not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes. 1494 Fabyan vii. ccxxvi. 253 This Henry chastysed the olde vntrewe mesure, and made a yerde of the length of his owne arme. 1579 T. F. News fr. North in Thynne's Animadv. (1865) Introd. 134 These..large Expences..have chasticed and amended me. |
† b. To discipline, train, break in (e.g. a horse or dog). Obs.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1143 Braches bayed þerfore, & breme noyse maked, & þay chastysed, & charred, on chasyng þat went. 1486 [see chastised below]. |
† 2. To reprove, rebuke, censure. Obs.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 54 Þe cherl..chastised his dogge, bad him blinne of his berking. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 338 But I the shall chastise now. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 17 It is not honeste to chastise a man afore all folkis. 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 265 After his resurrection, he chastised the dulness of his disciples. 1699 Bentley Phal. 319 He chastises me for saying, That the Sophists affected to excell one another in writing Attic. |
b. To accuse, charge. dial.
| 1875 Parish Sussex Dial. s.v., They've been chastising my boy of setting the faggot-stack a-fire. |
3. To inflict punishment or suffering upon, with a view to amendment; also simply, to punish, to inflict punishment (esp. corporal punishment) on.
| c 1325 Cursor M. 2612 (Gött.) Þu chastis [Cott. chasti, Fairf. chasty] hir, þu has þe wand; So chastisd Sare hir fra þat day. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 32 He chargede Chapmen to Chasten [v.r. chastice; B. chastizen, chastisen] heore children. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. clxxv. (1495) 717 Chyldren and houndes hatyth the rodde, for they ben therwyth chastisyd. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5104 Not cherist, but chastist, by charge of his foly. 1461 Marg. Paston Lett. 403 II. 29 God defend yt but they be shastysyd as the lawe wolle. 1587 Golding De Mornay xii. 179 Good Spirites..when they strike, it is to chastice men. Ibid. xii. 183 Not that God is not able to chaistice vs himselfe..for his Storehouse is neuer vnfurnished of roddes to scurge vs withall. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. ii. 11 Threatning to chastize me, as doth t' a chyld pertaine. 1611 Bible 1 Kings xii. 11 My father hath chastised you with whippes, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) II. 113 Why should I chastise one for the trespass of another? 1876 Burnaby Ride Khiva xv, He at once procured a whip, and chastised the official. |
b. in military language.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxvii. 274 How Huon..chastesyd his rebelles. 1570–87 Holinshed Scot. Chron. (1806) II. 54 The governor prepared to make a journie into the Iles to chastice the foresaid Donald. 1841 Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 471 A plan for chastising the intruder. 1845 S. Austin tr. Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 513 To bring an army into the field to chastise the landgrave. |
c. with the offence as object.
| 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 117 That Iudge..Vnder whose warrant I impeach thy wrong, And by whose helpe I meane to chastise it. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, V. ii. 286 [He] was assembling an army to chastise Robert's insolence. |
4. To free from faults, purify, refine; to correct, revise (a literary work); = chasten 3. Obs. or arch.
| 1620 Sanderson 12 Serm. (1632) 96 To chastice his very method and phrase. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 4 ¶6 Behold the Beauty of her Person chastised by the Innocence of her Thoughts. 1887 Sat. Rev. 26 Mar. 459/2 To correct and chastise his productions so that they have..a sort of formal merit. |
5. To restrain from passion or excess; to moderate, temper, subdue; = chasten 4. arch.
| 1704 Steele Lying Lov. Epil., With Pity to chastise Delight. 1725 Pope Odyss. xvi. 196 Then with surprise (surprise chastised with fears)..he cried. 1810 Crabbe Borough xv, A love chastised by awe. 1818 Hallam Middle Ages (1872) I. 51 Since the regularity of modern tactics has chastised its enthusiasm. |
Hence chastised (tʃæˈstaɪzd) ppl. a.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 70 Chastyzed, castigatus. 1486 Bk. St. Albans B iij b, A chastised hounde. 1595 Shakes. John v. ii. 84 Betweene this chastiz'd kingdome and my selfe. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 268 It would make a more moderate and chastised use of it [power]. 1794 Paley Evid. i. ix. §7 A recension or chastised edition of Saint Luke's Gospel. 1798 Malthus Popul. II. 242 To sober themselves with a little severe and chastised thinking. a 1847 Mrs. Sherwood Lady of Manor III. xxi. 313 Accents..more chastised and under control than the lamentations of Miss C. |