⚓ A ship punishment 😡 A harsh scolding

keelhauling

1 9.9

A punishment in which a person is dragged under the bottom of a ship

noun
/ˈkiːlˌhɔːlɪŋ/

NSFW

: keelhauling

Historically, keelhauling involved dragging sailors under the ship as a frightful consequence for disobedience.

Examples

Keelhauling is illegal.

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
The captain threatened the crew with keelhauling for any acts of insubordination.
We call this keelhauling.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
Keelhauling was a severe punishment feared by sailors who disobeyed orders.

Antonyms

to reward

328 1.3

To give something to someone to thank them for doing something good

How Severe

keelhauling

NSFW

1 9.9

punishment

720 1.3

reprimand

Formal

24 6.1

warning

1.0

Surface Forms

keelhauling singular

keelhaulings plural

Morphology

keelhauling = keelhaul (semi-transparent) = keel + haul + ing

The deverbal noun is transparently formed from the specialized verb 'keelhaul' + '-ing', but knowledge of the nautical term and practice is required for full comprehension.

Etymology

Keelhauling comes from the parts keel ('bottom of a ship') and haul ('to pull'). Sailors were once tied to ropes and pulled under the keel, so the word literally named that brutal naval punishment and its dangerous meaning.