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ferule

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: férule and ferrule

English

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1850 caricature featuring ferule.

Etymology

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From Middle French ferule (modern French férule), from Latin ferula (giant fennel). Doublet of ferula.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ferule (plural ferules)

  1. (historical) A ruler-shaped instrument, generally used to slap naughty children on the hand.
    Synonym: (obsolete) ferula

Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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ferule (third-person singular simple present ferules, present participle feruling, simple past and past participle feruled)

  1. (transitive) To punish with a ferule.
    • 1862, William S. Woodbridge, Captain Paul's Adventure: A "Charcoal Sketch": Ballou's Dollar Monthly Magazine, Volume 15, page 72:
      And they were right in their assumption; I could cudgel a great lubberly delinquent of a boy [] but when it came to feruling a girl [] my manhood rebelled [] .

Anagrams

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