punishern.

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 23 Helper, punscher [v.rr. punyscher, punser; L. vindex] of trespas.

a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Nahum i. 2 The Lord is a punyschere [c1384 E.V. louer; L. æmulator], and the Lord is vengynge.

a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) ix. 36 Noght trowand god punyschare of synnes.

a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) l. 5 Rightwise punysere of syn.

1552 Abp. J. Hamilton Catech. i. x. 29 Ane rygorous punissar of our synnis.

1608 A. Willet Hexapla in Exodum 822 He is also a visiter and punisher of sinne vpon the wicked.

1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. 17/2 A Punisher of Impiety.

1747 S. Richardson Clarissa I. xliv. 310 Not to say any thing about my poor sister—She is her own punisher.

1794 T. Jefferson Let. 1 May in Papers (2000) XXVIII. 67 I am anxious that we should give the world still another useful lesson, by shewing to them other modes of punishing injuries than by war, which is as much a punishment to the punisher as to the sufferer.

1862 E. Bulwer-Lytton Strange Story I. xxii. 150 He received the blow, drew forth his schoolboy knife, and stabbed the punisher.

1897 Sioux Valley (Correctionville, Iowa) News 2 Sept. 7/1 Juno was not only..the patron of sexual virtue, and punisher of lewdness in matrons, but..the goddess of all power and empire.

1926 W. E. Hocking Man & State ii. xii. 167 The state must act not alone as reconciler, judge, and punisher after conflicts have arisen, but also as preventive physician and parent.

1960 R. Davies Voice from Attic iv. 116 He uses his power to be a punisher of petty wrongdoing.

2006 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 12 June f7/1 The U.S.G.A. embraces its roles of arbiter of the rules of golf and punisher of the wayward tee shot.

1812–13 P. Egan Boxiana I. 113 The Lobster [sc. a grenadier] had most powerful claws, and was a first-rate punisher.

1832 F. Marryat Newton Forster III. x. 158 A fine fellow!—a severe punisher.

1846 W. Denison Cricket: Sketches of Players 12 If the bowling be at all loose, he is a powerful punisher.

1903 Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 18 Sept. 2/1 Seymour is a hard punisher. Huish is the wicket keeper of the team.

1998 Orlando (Florida) Sentinel (Nexis) 14 Aug. e1 Cynthia is..more pixie than punisher. She's also a five-time world karate champion with five black belts.

2006 Dallas Morning News (Nexis) 4 Jan. 11 c If Bush is a dancer in his running style, White is a punisher. He is bigger and stronger than Bush and has a taste for contact.

1827 Sporting Mag. 21 138 I had nearly fifty miles' road-work this day, which..is a punisher.

1897 Bristol Times & Mirror 22 Feb. 3/5 She rather improved her distance as she raced..over the hill towards Hawkcombe Head. This was a punisher indeed for horses in the bright afternoon sunshine.

1994 Washington Post (Nexis) 18 Jan. b1 Henry Strozier has the role of Roberto Miranda, the possible torturer. It's a punisher—Roberto spends a large part of the play tied up and gagged—and Strozier executes it with his usual grace.

2006 Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (Nexis) 5 Apr. (Sports section) s1 Bethlehem's finishing par 4s, Nos. 17 and 18, are punishers: they're a combined 855 yards with tough approaches and very tricky greens.