keelhaul

Verb

keelhaul (third-person singular simple present keelhauls, present participle keelhauling, simple past and past participle keelhauled)

1. (transitive) To punish by dragging under the keel of a ship with the intent of causing painful injuries.
   • March 11 [1667].—Hermans Jans, boatswain; disobedience of orders and stabbing his captain; sentenced to be degraded to common seaman, to be thrice keelhauled, to be well flogged, to have the knife stuck through his hand, and to forfeit, pro fisco, 6 months' wages.1838, D[onald] Moodie, comp., transl. and ed., “Abstract of Criminal Convictions before the Court of Justice, Cape of Good Hope.—1662–1672.”, in The Record; or, A Series of Official Papers Relative...
   • By degrees they became noisier and noisier, their conversation principally turning on that infernal naval lieutenant, as they were pleased to designate me, and what they intended to do with him. Some suggested “keelhauling” him; others, a dose of his favourite cat-o’nine tails; whilst many advised...1873 October 1, “Mutiny Aboard. An Unsought Adventure.”, in The British Flag and Christian Sentinel (New Series), number 46, London: Army Scripture Readers' and Soldiers' Friend Society, →OCLC, page...
2. (transitive) To rebuke harshly.
   • I've done these inquiries myself, Col. The top people can always put up such a bloody fine brick wall for themselves that no outsider has a chance of getting over or seeing through. But the same wall may stop some nonentity making his getaway, and he's the one the inquiry keelhauls.1988, Bill James, Protection, London: Constable & Co., →ISBN
   • I've been asking myself the same question and there are two ways to answer it—yes and no. Yes, because he took on a responsibility no one else wanted—for the reasons we've all witnessed—and no because keelhauling him will be five percent about fixing what he may have done wrong and ninety-five...2004, Jeff Rovin, Tempest Down, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Griffin Press, ISBN 978-0-312-30761-5; republished New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Paperbacks, May 2005, ISBN 978-0-312-93480-4, page 404