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Definition of punishes - 3 dictionary results

pun⋅ish

  [puhn-ish]
Use punishes in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault: to punish a criminal.
2. to inflict a penalty for (an offense, fault, etc.): to punish theft.
3. to handle severely or roughly, as in a fight.
4. to put to painful exertion, as a horse in racing.
5. Informal. to make a heavy inroad on; deplete: to punish a quart of whiskey.
–verb (used without object)
6. to inflict punishment.
Origin:
1300–50; ME punischen < MF puniss-, long s. of punir < L pūnīre; akin to poena penalty, pain

Related forms:
pun⋅ish⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. chastise, castigate. Punish, correct, discipline refer to making evident public or private disapproval of violations of law, wrongdoing, or refusal to obey rules or regulations by imposing penalties. To punish is chiefly to inflict penalty or pain as a retribution for misdeeds, with little or no expectation of correction or improvement: to punish a thief. To correct is to reprove or inflict punishment for faults, specifically with the idea of bringing about improvement: to correct a rebellious child. To discipline is to give a kind of punishment that will educate or will establish useful habits: to discipline a careless driver. 1, 2. penalize.

Antonyms:
1, 2. reward.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To punishes
pun·ish   (pŭn'ĭsh)   
v.   pun·ished, pun·ish·ing, pun·ish·es

v.   tr.

  1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault.

  2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense).

  3. To handle roughly; hurt: My boots were punished by our long trek through the desert.

v.   intr.
To exact or mete out punishment.

[Middle English punissen, punishen, from Old French punir, puniss-, from Latin poenīre, pūnīre, from poena, punishment, from Greek poinē; see kwei-1 in Indo-European roots.]
pun'ish·a·bil'i·ty n., pun'ish·a·ble adj., pun'ish·er n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to subject a person to something negative for an offense, sin, or fault. Punish is the least specific: The principal punished the students who were caught cheating.
To correct is to punish so that the offender will mend his or her ways: Regulations formerly permitted prison wardens to correct unruly inmates.
Chastise implies either corporal punishment or a verbal rebuke, as a means of effecting improvement in behavior: I chastised the bully by giving him a thrashing. The sarcastic child was roundly chastised for insolence.
Discipline stresses punishment inflicted by an authority in order to control or to eliminate unacceptable conduct: The worker was disciplined for insubordination.
Castigate means to censure or criticize severely, often in public: The judge castigated the attorney for badgering the witness.
Penalize usually implies the forfeiture of money or of a privilege or gain because rules or regulations have been broken: Those who file their income-tax returns late will be penalized.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: pun·ish
Pronunciation: 'p&-nish
Function: transitive verb
1 : to impose a penalty on for a fault, offense, or violation
2 : to inflict a penalty for the commission of (an offense) in retribution or retaliation or as a deterrent intransitive verb : to inflict punishment —pun·ish·abil·i·ty /"p&-ni-sh&-'bi-l&-tE/ noun —pun·ish·able /'p&-ni-sh&-b&l/ adjective —pun·ish·er noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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