- punish someone with something
- punish someone with somethingto use something to discipline someone. •
The captain punished the sailor with the lash.
•Sally threatened to punish Timmy with a spanking.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
punish someone with something
Look at other dictionaries:
stick to beat someone with — (or stick with which to beat someone) Brit informal : something that is used to attack or punish someone or to make an attack or punishment seem reasonable or right The fee is just another stick with which to beat the unions. These charges have… … Useful english dictionary
punish — pun|ish [ˈpʌnıʃ] v [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: punir, from Latin punire, from poena; PAIN1] 1.) to make someone suffer because they have done something wrong or broken the law →↑punishment, punitive ↑punitive ▪ Smacking is not an… … Dictionary of contemporary English
punish — [[t]pʌ̱nɪʃ[/t]] punishes, punishing, punished 1) VERB To punish someone means to make them suffer in some way because they have done something wrong. [V n] I don t believe that George ever had to punish the children... [V n] According to present… … English dictionary
slap with — [phrasal verb] slap (someone) with (something) US, informal : to punish (someone) with (a fine, lawsuit, etc.) They were slapped with a lawsuit. The judge sla … Useful english dictionary
get even with someone — get even (with (someone)) to punish someone who did something to you. She wants to get even with the guy who hit her with the ball. Related vocabulary: settle a score, stick it to someone … New idioms dictionary
catch up with — 1) PHRASAL VERB When people catch up with someone who has done something wrong, they succeed in finding them in order to arrest or punish them. [V P P n] The law caught up with him yesterday. 2) PHRASAL VERB If something catches up with you, you… … English dictionary
get even with — get even (with (someone)) to punish someone who did something to you. She wants to get even with the guy who hit her with the ball. Related vocabulary: settle a score, stick it to someone … New idioms dictionary
stick it to someone — stick it to (someone) to punish someone who did something wrong earlier. If you fail to pay enough estimated tax, the IRS will really stick it to you. Related vocabulary: get even with someone, get back at someone … New idioms dictionary
give someone hell — (informal) 1 when I found out I gave him hell: REPRIMAND SEVERELY, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, upbraid, reprove, scold, berate, remonstrate with, reprehend … Useful english dictionary
call someone to account for something — call someone to account (for something) phrase to say that someone is responsible for something that has gone wrong and expect them to explain it, deal with it, or be punished for it Thesaurus: to punish someonesynonym punishment of being legally … Useful english dictionary
pay someone back with interest — phrase to do something even worse to someone than they have done to you, in order to punish them Thesaurus: to treat someone in the same bad way they treat yousynonym Main entry: interest … Useful english dictionary
