punishment English · revision 5852

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1292|origins=fro punissement}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpʌn.ɪʃ.mənt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English punisshement, [[bor|xno|punisement]], [[m|fro|punissement]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) from punir “to punish” (see [[punish]]) and the suffix [[-ment]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) the stem puniss- coming from Latin [[m|la|pūnīre]].^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The action of punishing or the fact of being punished: 1292 in the OED;^(OED 1989) in Etymonline the late 14th century, in law, the inflicting of pain, loss or confinement on someone for an offence.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The suffering or hardship inflicted as punishment is from the early 15th century, and a penalty or sentence imposed from the mid-15th.^(Etymonline) Gradually the word was extended to pain or injury in general.^(Etymonline) Rough handling is from 1811, first of the blows a prizefighter landed on an opponent,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and of materials or machinery subjected to hard use from 1930.^(OED 1989) In psychology an unpleasant consequence used to shape behaviour is from 1907.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) In the West Riding of Yorkshire punishment was also a repeated attempt to dye a piece of cloth.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1292 – the act of punishing.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-15th century – a penalty or sentence.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1811 – rough handling, in boxing.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1907 – in psychology.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1930 – hard use of machinery.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[penalty]] imposed for a crime or other wrongdoing: ''capital punishment''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of punishing, or the state of being punished; [[retribution]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(informal)'' Rough treatment or hard use: ''the car took a lot of punishment''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(psychology)'' An unpleasant [[stimulus]] used to discourage a response in training.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nonpunishment]]

+ * [[overpunishment]]

+ * [[self-punishment]]

+ * [[capital punishment]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[impunity]]

+ * [[punishable]]

+ * [[punishing]]

+ * [[punitive]]

+ * [[punitory]]

+ * [[punish]]

+ * [[penal]]

+ * [[penalty]]

+ * [[pain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}