or Keelrake, verb. (old nautical: now recognised or colloquial).—To punish offenders by dragging them under water on one side of the ship, and up again on the other, by ropes attached to the yard-arms on either side; or in small vessels, under the craft from stem to stern. Hence, figuratively, to treat roughly; to chastise.
1626. CAPT. J. SMITH, Accidence, in Wks. (ARBER), p. 790. The Marshall is to punish offendors, and to see Justice executed according to directions, as ducking at yards arme, HAWLING VNDER THE KEELE.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. KEEL-HALE, to draw by a Rope tied to the Neck, and fastned to a Tackle (with a jerk) quite under the Keel or bottom of the Ship.
1710. C. SHADWELL, Fair Quaker of Deal, i. May I be KEEL-HAWLED, if any man in the universe has more reformed the navy than myself.
1742. CHARLES JOHNSON, Highwaymen and Pyrates, ‘George Seager,’ 323. He was often whipp’d at the Cap stern, put in the Bilboes, and once KEEL-HAUL’D.
1748. SMOLLETT, Roderick Random, iii. Whoever told him so was a lying, lubberly rascal, and deserved to be KEEL-HAULED.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. KEEL-HAWLING.
1836. M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log, xii. While the old woman KEELHAULED me with a poker on one side, he jerked at me on the other, until at length he gave me a regular cross-buttock.
1837. MARRYAT, Snarleyyow; or The Dog Fiend, x. The unfortunate Smallbones was to be KEELHAULED.
