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   Pun·ish

   /ˈpəniSH/

   

   verb

   • 1. inflict a penalty or sanction on (someone) as retribution for an offense, especially a transgression of a legal or moral code: "I have done wrong and I'm being punished for it"
   • ▪ inflict a penalty or sanction on someone for (such an offense): "fraudulent acts would be punished by up to two years in prison"
   • ▪ treat (someone) in an unfairly harsh way: "a rise in prescription charges would punish the poor"
   • ▪ subject (someone or something) to severe and debilitating treatment.

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French puniss-, lengthened stem of punir ‘punish’, from Latin punire, from poena ‘penalty’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. punisher noun

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • P

     3

   • U

     1

   • N

     1

   • I

     1

   • S

     1

   • H

     4

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