v. Forms: 4 chastise-n, chastis, chastizen, 4–5 chastyse, 4–7 chastice, 5 chastyzyn, (shastyse), (6 chaistice, -ise, chastese), 6–9 chastize, 4– chastise. [An equivalent of the earlier CHASTE and CHASTY, the formation of which is not easily accounted for. There is no recorded med.L. castizāre, F. chastiser, and no OF. chastir, chastiss-, the usual sources of -ise, -ize in English verbs; the word is too early to be a simple English formation from CHASTE a. + -IZE. The stress was originally always on the first syllable cha·stise, is generally so with Shakespeare (7 times against 2), and also in later poets, as still in cha·stisement; but already in Chaucer sometimes, and Gower often, on the second, as now.
If chastise was in some way altered from chasty, the alteration has not been accounted for. If the sb. chastice had been more frequent or of earlier date in the language, it might have been suggested that the verb was formed on it.]
† 1. To correct (authoritatively) the faults of; to amend, reform, improve (a person or thing). Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 28. To chastise alle oþer he tok vengeance on him.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monk’s T., 515. ffor he fro vices wolde hym chastise Discreetly as by word and nat by dede.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, 24. A woman may chastise her husbonde, and make hym do welle, with fairnesse rather than with rudenesse.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 7. He that wyl not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes.
1494. Fabyan, VII. ccxxvi. 253. This Henry chastysed the olde vntrewe mesure, and made a yerde of the length of his owne arme.
1579. T. F., News fr. North, in Thynne’s Animadv. (1865), Introd. 134. These … large Expences … have chasticed and amended me.
† b. To discipline, train, break in (e.g., a horse or dog). Obs.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1143. Braches bayed þerfore, & breme noyse maked, & þay chastysed, & charred, on chasyng þat went.
1486. [see CHASTISED below].
† 2. To reprove, rebuke, censure. Obs.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 54. Þe cherl … chastised his dogge, bad him blinne of his berking.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 338. But I the shall chastise now.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 17. It is not honeste to chastise a man afore all folkis.
1659. Pearson, Creed (1839), 265. After his resurrection, he chastised the dulness of his disciples.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 319. He chastises me for saying, That the Sophists affected to excell one another in writing Attic.
b. To accuse, charge. dial.
1875. Parish, Sussex Dial., s.v., They’ve been chastising my boy of setting the faggot-stack a-fire.
3. To inflict punishment or suffering upon, with a view to amendment; also simply, to punish, to inflict punishment (esp. corporal punishment) on.
c. 1325. Cursor M., 2612 (Gött.). Þu chastis [Cott. chasti, Fairf. chasty] hir, þu has þe wand; So chastisd Sare hir fra þat day.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 32. He chargede Chapmen to Chasten [v.r. chastice; B. chastizen, chastisen] heore children.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxxv. (1495), 717. Chyldren and houndes hatyth the rodde, for they ben therwyth chastisyd.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5104. Not cherist, but chastist, by charge of his foly.
1461. Marg. Paston, Lett., 403, II. 29. God defend yt but they be shastysyd as the lawe wolle.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xii. 179. Good Spirites … when they strike, it is to chastice men. Ibid., xii. 183. Not that God is not able to chaistice vs himselfe … for his Storehouse is neuer vnfurnished of roddes to scurge vs withall.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. ii. 11. Threatning to chastize me, as doth t’ a chyld pertaine.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings xii. 11. My father hath chastised you with whippes, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 113. Why should I chastise one for the trespass of another?
1876. Burnaby, Ride Khiva, xv. He at once procured a whip, and chastised the official.
b. in military language.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxxxvii. 274. How Huon … chastesyd his rebelles.
1570–87. Holinshed, Scot. Chron. (1806), II. 54. The governor prepared to make a journie into the Iles to chastice the foresaid Donald.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., II. 471. A plan for chastising the intruder.
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 513. To bring an army into the field to chastise the landgrave.
c. with the offence as object.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 117. That Iudge … Vnder whose warrant I impeach thy wrong, And by whose helpe I meane to chastise it.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., V. II. 286. [He] was assembling an army to chastise Robert’s insolence.
4. To free from faults, purify, refine; to correct, revise (a literary work); = CHASTEN 3. Obs. or arch.
1620. Sanderson, 12 Serm. (1632), 96. To chastice his very method and phrase.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 4, ¶ 6. Behold the Beauty of her Person chastised by the Innocence of her Thoughts.
1887. Sat. Rev., 26 March, 459/2. To correct and chastise his productions so that they have … a sort of formal merit.
5. To restrain from passion or excess; to moderate, temper, subdue; = CHASTEN 4. arch.
1704. Steele, Lying Lover, Epil. With Pity to chastise Delight.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XVI. 196. Then with surprise (surprise chastised with fears) … he cried.
1810. Crabbe, Borough, xv. A love chastised by awe.
1818. Hallam, Middle Ages (1872), I. 51. Since the regularity of modern tactics has chastised its enthusiasm.
Hence Chastised ppl. a.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 70. Chastyzed, castigatus.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, B iij b. A chastised hounde.
1595. Shaks., John, V. ii. 84. Betweene this chastiz’d kingdome and my selfe.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 274. It would make a more moderate and chastised use of it [power].
1794. Paley, Evid., I. ix. § 7. A recension or chastised edition of Saint Luke’s Gospel.
1798. Malthus, Popul., II. 242. To sober themselves with a little severe and chastised thinking.
a. 1847. Mrs. Sherwood, Lady of Manor, III. xxi. 313. Accents … more chastised and under control than the lamentations of Miss C.
