keelhaul
/ˈkiːlhɔːl
/verb [with object]
1 historical Punish (someone) by dragging them through the water under the keel of a ship, either across the width or from bow to stern: if I catch any more on board I’ll keelhaul them...
- Then, his blue eyes narrowed a bit, ‘And if I hear any rumors to the contrary, I'll keelhaul you and anyone else that has any part of it!!’
- He might surface, gasp for air and taunting by his pirate comrades and then be keelhauled back underwater.
- Flogging, branding, keelhauling, locking sailors in chains, walking the plank, and hanging were used in this era.
1.1 humorous Punish or reprimand severely: anyone who laid a finger on her would be keelhauled...
- Coleridge's text may have been keelhauled, but the show still charts a course through it.
- Writers who send in poor photographs are keelhauled.
- Just remember that if your only fund is an index fund, a bear market will keelhaul your savings.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from Dutch kielhalen.
- insurance carrier
- insurance claim
- insurance company
- insurance policy
- insurance premium
- insurance stamp
- insure
- insured
- insurer
- insurgence
- insurgency
- insurgent
- insurmountable
- insurmountably
- insurrection
- insurrectionary
- insurrectionist
- insusceptibility
- insusceptible
- inswing
- inswinger
- inswinging
- int.
- autonym
- auto-off