Punish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Punished; p. pr. & vb. n. Punishing.]
Etymology: [OE. punischen, F. punir, from L. punire, punitum, akin to poena punishment, penalty. See Pain, and -ish.]
1. To impose a penalty upon; to afflict with pain, loss, or suffering for a crime or fault, either with or without a view to the offender's amendment; to cause to suffer in retribution; to chasten; as, to punish traitors with death; a father punishes his child for willful disobedience. A greater power Now ruled him, punished in the shape he sinned. Milton.
2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense) upon the offender; to repay, as a fault, crime, etc., with pain or loss; as, to punish murder or treason with death.
3. To injure, as by beating; to pommel. [Low]
Syn. -- To chastise; castigate; scourge; whip; lash; correct; discipline. See Chasten.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for punish; he lists it under avenge, chasten, requite.
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
To repay or to retaliate, to punish or to reward, may be to make some return very inadequate to the benefit or injury received, or the right or wrong done; but to requite (according to its etymology) is to make so full and adequate a return as to quit oneself of all obligation of favor or hostility, of punishment or reward. — from requite
To discipline is to bring into habitual and complete subjection to authority; discipline is a severe word, and is often used as a euphemism for punish; to be thoroughly effective in war, soldiers must be disciplined as well as trained. — from teach