flog

tr.v., flogged, flog·ging, flogs.

1. To beat severely with a whip or rod.
2. Informal. To publicize aggressively: flogging a new book.

[Perhaps from alteration of Latin flagellāre. See flagellate.]

flogger flog'ger n.

verb

To punish with blows or lashes: beat, hide², lash, thrash, whip. Informal trim. Slang lay into, lick. See attack/defend, reward/punish/deserve.

v. flogged, flogging beat (someone) with a whip or stick to punish or torture them: the stolen horses will be returned and the thieves flogged | (flogging) public floggings.

flogger n.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Flogging refers to a common form of punishment used against criminals and military personnel to maintain good order. Its popularity lasted until the end of the colonial period, when the Quakers began agitation against its use. By the end of the American Revolution (1775–1783), the practice of flogging had significantly declined. In 1799, federal law limited a commander to the application of no more than twelve lashes with a whip of knotted rawhide or a cat-of-nine-tails (several bound leather strips) to a seaman's back except in cases of court-martial. But abuse of this practice was common. In Delaware, flogging could be administered as punishment for twenty-five different crimes. Flogging with whipping posts continued in penal institutions until 1900. The navy and merchant marine maintained the policy in the name of good maritime discipline and order.

In Two Years Before the Mast (1840), Richard Henry Dana Jr. realistically depicted the wretched conditions at sea and significantly contributed to reforms. While Dana had a distinguished legal and reform career, he reached the zenith of his influence with this book. In 1850, an antiflogging clause was added to the Naval Appropriations Bill for 1851, though the Navy Department lobbied against its passage. Three years later, Senator Robert Field Stockton of California was instrumental in implementing further restrictions on military flogging. On 17 July 1862, Congress completely abolished the practice.

Bibliography

Colvin, Mark. Penitentiaries, Reformatories, and Chain Gangs: Social Theory and the History of Punishment in Nineteenth-Century America. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. A grim examination of the historical context of control and manipulation.

Hathaway, Jane, ed. Rebellion, Repression, Reinvention: Mutiny in Comparative Perspective. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2001. Historical analysis of the fear of mutiny and the quest for authority and order.

—Donald K. Pickens

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - drive, sælge, stjæle
n. - hård klatretur, slid

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    tærske langhalm på noget, som er afgjort

Nederlands (Dutch)
ranselen, (voort) ploeteren, sterk bekritiseren, aansporen, (illegaal) verkopen, stelen, fladderen, reclame maken voor, overtreffen, vislijn herhaalde keren uitgooien

Français (French)
v. tr. - flageller, (GB) fourguer, vendre, vendre qch à qn
n. - montée/lutte difficile

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    s'acharner en pure perte

Deutsch (German)
v. - prügeln, auspeitschen, (Slang) verkaufen
n. - schwere Anstrengung

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    sich umsonst bemühen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - μαστιγώνω, ραβδίζω, (καθομ.) πολυδιαφημίζω (προϊόν κ.λπ.), διαθέτω κλοπιμαία

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    (καθομ.) ματαιοπονώ

Italiano (Italian)
fustigare

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    sprecare energia

Português (Portuguese)
v. - chicotear, vender (coloq.)

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    esforçar-se inutilmente

Русский (Russian)
пороть, продавать

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    реанимировать труп

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - azotar, hacer trabajar duro, vender
n. - azote

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    desperdiciar fuerza en algo inalterable

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - prygla, pressa, sälja (sl.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
鞭打, 迫使, 鞭策, 鞭打的处罚

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    徒劳

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 鞭打, 迫使, 鞭策
n. - 鞭打的處罰

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    徒勞

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 채찍질 하다, 마구 쳐대다, ~을 지치게 하다
n. - 험난한 오르기, 분규

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - むち打つ, 体罰を課する, きびしく批判する, 風でバタバタいう, 苦労して進む, 鞭打つ

idioms:

• flog a dead horse    むだ骨を折る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يجلد بالسوط‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮מכר, הילקה, עשה פרסומת ל-‬
n. - ‮טיפוס או מאבק קשה‬

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