verb. (sporting and general).—A strong verb of action: thus (in boxing) TO PUNISH = to hit hard, to handle severely; (in cricket) TO PUNISH THE BOWLING = to hit freely; (general) TO PUNISH THE BOTTLE = to drink hard; TO PUNISH THE SPREAD = to eat much and heartily; and so forth. Hence PUNISHING = exhausting, fatiguing; PUNISHER = a glutton for work; PUNISHMENT = a severe beating, complete exhaustion, &c.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress. An eye that plann’d PUNISHING deeds. Ibid. If to level, to PUNISH, to ruffian mankind.
1821. P. EGAN, Life in London, II. iii. What a PUNISHER, too!
1831. P. EGAN, Finish to Life in London, 221. Blacky PUNISHED the steaks.
1848. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, liii. He PUNISHED my champagne. Ibid. (1862), The Adventures of Philip, iv. Tom Sayers could not take PUNISHMENT more gaily.
1876. J. HABBERTON, The Barton Experiment, xiv. 154. I started to walk Moshier home one night, after we’d PUNISHED a couple of bottles of old Crow whiskey at our house, and he caved in all of a sudden, and I laid him out on the steps of that very church till I could get a carriage.
1882. The Field, 28 Jan. Each course to-day was of the most PUNISHING KIND.
1886. Daily Telegraph, 5 March. Afterwards PUNISHED his opponent very scientifically.
1886. Cassell’s Saturday Journal, 6 March, 359. I shall … PUNISH the old gentleman’s sherry.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 3 April. M’Carthy put in a lot of clinching to save himself from PUNISHMENT.
