castigar

Senses

1. 1.

   to punish

   to impose a penalty or punishment on someone for wrongdoing

2. 2.

   to discipline

   to correct or reprimand, especially children, for educational purposes

3. 3.

   to afflict, to torment

   to cause suffering or hardship (often used figuratively)

Examples

• "Os pais decidiram castigar o filho por ter mentido."

  The parents decided to punish their son for having lied.

• "A seca castigou duramente a região nordeste do país."

  The drought severely afflicted the northeastern region of the country.

• "O juiz castigou o réu com três anos de prisão."

  The judge punished the defendant with three years in prison.

Usage

Commonly used in both literal contexts (parental discipline, legal punishment) and figurative ones (natural disasters, hardships). Common collocations include "castigar severamente" (to punish severely) and "castigar com" (to punish with). The noun form is "castigo" (punishment).