ferule
/ˈfɛɹuːl/ noun, verb
Forms ferules feruling feruled
- noun (historical) A ruler-shaped instrument, generally used to slap naughty children on the hand.
- verb (transitive) To punish with a ferule.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle French ferule (modern French férule), from Latin ferula (“giant fennel”). Doublet of ferula.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A flat piece of wood, used for striking, children, esp. on the hand, in punishment.
- verb To punish with a ferule.
Etymology [L. ferula: cf. F. férule. See Ferula.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ferule”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details