keelhauling Definition
a form of punishment among sailors in which the offender is dragged under the keel of a ship and up on the other side, often resulting in severe injury or death.
Using keelhauling: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "keelhauling" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The captain threatened to keelhaul the sailor for disobeying orders.
Example
Keelhauling was a common punishment in the navy during the 17th and 18th centuries.
keelhauling Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for keelhauling
- discipline
- penalize
- punish
Phrases with keelhauling
to punish someone severely
Example
If you don't finish your work on time, your boss will give you a keelhauling.
get keelhauled
to be punished severely
Example
If you break the rules, you'll get keelhauled by the coach.
Example
After realizing his mistake, he decided to keelhaul himself by working overtime to make up for lost time.
Origins of keelhauling
from Dutch 'kielhalen', meaning 'to haul under the keel'
Summary: keelhauling in Brief
'Keelhauling' [keel-haw-ling] is a form of punishment among sailors where the offender is dragged under the keel of a ship and up on the other side, often resulting in severe injury or death. It was a common punishment in the navy during the 17th and 18th centuries. The phrase 'give someone a keelhauling' means to punish someone severely, while 'get keelhauled' means to be punished severely.
