Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PUN'ISH, v.t. [Arm. puniçza; Fr. punir, punissant; It. punire; Sp. punir; from L. punio, from the root of pœna, pain. The primary sense is to press or strain.]

1. To pain; to afflict with pain, loss or calamity for a crime or fault; primarily, to afflict with bodily pain, as to punish a thief with pillory or stripes; but the word is applied also to affliction by loss of property, by transportation, banishment, seclusion from society, &c. The laws require murderers to be punished with death. Other offenders are to be punished with fines, imprisonment, hard labor, &c. God punishes men for their sins with calamities personal and national.
2. To chastise; as, a father punishes his child for disobedience.
3. To reward with pain or suffering inflicted on the offender; applied to the crime; as, to punish murder or theft.