Keelhaul

Pronunciation: /ˈkilˌhôl/

Definitions of keelhaul

verb to punish by dragging under the keel of a ship

Example Sentences

A1 The pirate threatened to keelhaul the disobedient crew member.

A2 The captain ordered the crew to keelhaul the traitor for betraying them.

B1 In the past, pirates would keelhaul sailors as a form of punishment.

B2 The captain decided to keelhaul the mutinous crew member to set an example for the others.

C1 The practice of keelhauling was considered brutal and inhumane even in the harsh world of piracy.

C2 Despite its barbaric nature, some pirate crews continued to keelhaul offenders as a deterrent to future disobedience.

Examples of keelhaul in a Sentence

formal The pirate captain threatened to keelhaul any crew member who disobeyed orders.

informal If you don't listen to the boss, you might get keelhauled.

slang I heard they keelhaul troublemakers on that ship.

figurative In some workplaces, employees feel like they are being keelhauled by their superiors.

Grammatical Forms of keelhaul

• past tense: keelhauled
• plural: keelhauls
• comparative: more keelhaul
• superlative: most keelhaul
• present tense: keelhaul
• future tense: will keelhaul
• perfect tense: have keelhauled
• continuous tense: is keelhauling
• singular: keelhaul
• positive degree: keelhaul
• infinitive: to keelhaul
• gerund: keelhauling
• participle: keelhauling

Origin and Evolution of keelhaul

First Known Use: 1695 year

Language of Origin: Dutch

Story behind the word: The word 'keelhaul' originates from the Dutch word 'kielhalen', which means to haul under the keel of a ship as a form of punishment.

Evolution of the word: Originally used as a punishment in naval discipline, 'keelhaul' has evolved to also mean to severely reprimand or criticize someone.