Verb some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
One Peruvian candidate has taken time to talk about his habit of wearing a wire chain, known as a cilice, every day to flagellate himself.Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021 All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord). Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020 Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached. Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019 Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019
Adjective
Aiden needs neither hair shirt nor whip to self-flagellate, and Simone writes of depression with a visceral ache. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021 How small is too small for someone with a shrinking fetish?), Gupta and Gelula begin to self-flagellate, blaming themselves for being too lazy to do research or for stumbling into some ridiculous malapropism. Sean Malin, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021 These are rotating, helical appendages which act as propellers, so flagellate bacteria are more mobile than those lacking such equipment.The Economist, 16 Jan. 2021
Noun
Instead of rejoicing at the opportunity to live their life, play games, and watch movies, many of those left behind self-flagellate and sink into a destructive sense of guilt for being more fortunate than others. Vlad Ned, Wired, 21 Mar. 2022 The flushing was ordered after three of 11 samples of the Lake Jackson's water tested positive for the deadly flagellate.CBS News, 7 Oct. 2020 With the possible exception of medicine, no other profession self-flagellates (and self-congratulates) over ethics like journalism. Dan Sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, 23 Apr. 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Latin flagellatus, past participle of flagellare, from flagellum, diminutive of flagrum whip; perhaps akin to Old Norse blaka to wave
Adjective
New Latin flagellatus, from flagellum
Noun
New Latin Flagellata, class of unicellular organisms, from neuter plural of flagellatus