Chastise, v. t. [imp & p. p. Chastised; p. pr. & vb. n. Chastising.]
Etymology: [OE. chastisen; chastien + ending -isen + modern - ise, ize, L. izare, G. Chasten.]
1. To inflict pain upon, by means of stripes, or in any other manner, for the purpose of punishment or reformation; to punish, as with stripes. How fine my master is! I am afraid He will chastise me. Shak. I am glad to see the vanity or envy of the canting chemists thus discovered and chastised. Boyle.
2. To reduce to order or obedience; to correct or purify; to free from faults or excesses. The gay, social sense, by decency chastised. Thomson.
Syn. -- See Chasten.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for chastise; 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
Punish is distinctly retributive in sense; chastise, partly retributive, and partly corrective; chasten, wholly corrective. — from chasten