SuaviloquyToday’s word

castigate

Castigate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Castigated; p. pr. & vb. n. Castigating.]

Etymology: [L. castigatus, p. p. of castigare to correct, punish; castus pure, chaste + agere to move, drive. See Caste, and cf. Chasten.]

1. To punish by stripes; to chastise by blows; to chasten; also, to chastise verbally; to reprove; to criticise severely.

2. To emend; to correct. [Obs.]

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for castigate; he lists it under beat, chasten.

Where he writes about it:

Castigate and chastise refer strictly to corporal punishment, tho both are somewhat archaic; correct and punish are often used as euphemisms in preference to either. — from chasten

Synonyms

beatchastenafflictbastinadobatterbelaborbruisechastiseconquercorrectcudgeldefeatdisciplinefloghumbleovercomepommelpoundpunishpurifyrefinescourgesmitesoftenspankstrikesubduesurpassswitchthrashtryvanquishwhipworst

Antonyms

failfallget the worst ofgo downgo underpardonsurrender

etymologyWebster’s online