ferule

¹ American  

[fer-uhl, -ool] / ˈfɛr əl, -ul /

noun

1. Also a rod, cane, or flat piece of wood for punishing children, especially by striking them on the hand.

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verb (used with object)

feruled, feruling

1. to punish with a ferule.

ferule ² American  

[fer-uhl, -ool] / ˈfɛr əl, -ul /

noun

feruled, feruling

1. ferrule.

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ferule ¹ British  

/ -rəl, ˈfɛruːl /

noun

1. a flat piece of wood, such as a ruler, used in some schools to cane children on the hand

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verb

1. rare (tr) to punish with a ferule

ferule ² British  

/ ˈfɛruːl, -rəl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of ferrule

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Etymology

Origin of ferule

1375–1425; late Middle English ferula, ferul ( e ) giant fennel < Latin ferula schoolmaster's rod (literally, stalk of giant fennel); replacing Old English ferele < Latin

Example Sentences

A kind of miracle happened: the ferule of the teacher became the poet's magic wand.

From Time Magazine Archive

Yen picked up his ferule and hit it like a student.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

She even exaggerated, pinched her lips, like a school-girl applying herself to her book for fear of the ferule.

From The Bill-Toppers by Castaigne, J. André

He went straight to Zeus’ throne and filled a ferule with it, and carried it to his people.

From Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children by Cooke, Flora J. (Flora Juliette)

But the ordinary public chastisement was the bastinado, a stroke or two on the palm with that almost obsolete weapon now, the ferule.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 85, November, 1864 by Various

Related Words

• berate
• castigate
• censure
• flog
• lash
• punish
• upbraid