Table of Contents
The word for today is…
chasten (verb):
1: to correct by punishment or suffering : discipline
also : purify
2a: to prune (something, such as a work or style of art) of excess, pretense, or falsity : refine
b: to cause to be more humble or restrained : subdue
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : Chasten, castigate, and chastise are three verbs with overlapping histories and meanings. All three come (via different routes) from the Latin verb castigare, meaning “to punish,” and all have been used to refer to physical punishment, but today are more likely to refer to a verbal dressing-down than a rap on the knuckles (or worse). However, while one is usually castigated or chastised by another person, one can be chastened—made to feel humility or embarrassment—by a humbling situation or experience. Just don’t let encountering an unfamiliar or subtle word be one of them; that’s what we’re here for.
If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
