keel hauling
Dragged under ship
Keelhauling was a naval punishment in which a sailor was tied to a rope, thrown overboard, and dragged under the ship's hull from one side to the other—or from bow to stern.
The barnacles encrusting the hull would shred the victim's skin, and drowning was a real risk.
Now used figuratively for any severe reprimand or punishment: The boss keelhauled him for losing the account.
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
- rough justiceApproximate, harsh fairness
- scrapeRub harshly against
- ropeThick twisted fibers
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
terror · barnacle · keelhaul · drag · lash · sailor · torture · drowning · bruise · salt water · hull · maritime law · walk the plank · pirate ship · court martial · ship's captain · ship · abrasion
- pirate punishmentswalking the plank, keelhauling, marooning, plank walking, thrown overboard
- military punishmentsflogging, lashing, whipping, court-martial, brig
keel haulingcommendation
Formal expression of approval
promotion · shore leave · prize money · honorable discharge · liberty
keel, hauling, keels, keeled, keeling, haul, hauls, hauled, hauler