Word of the Day: CHASTEN

Very tough love

chasten (verb) - to correct through discipline, criticism, or punishment; to point out error or failure [chey-suhn]

• chastise means to severely punish, censure, or discipline; to castigate

BREAKDOWN: The words chasten and chastise, similar in meaning but different in intensity, both derive from an Old French word chastiier meaning to punish. Two possible roots for these words are CAST- meaning pure and CAS- meaning to cut.

“Nothing chastens a planner more than the knowledge that he will have to carry out the plan.” —James M. Gavin

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]