Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task.
  • transitive verb To restrain; subdue.
  • transitive verb To rid of excess; refine or purify.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To inflict pain, trouble, or affliction on for the purpose of reclaiming from evil; correct; chastise; punish: formerly of corporal punishment, but now, chiefly with a moral reference, of disciplinary affliction.
  • To purify by discipline, as the taste; refine; make chaste: as, to chasten the imagination, the taste, or one's style.
  • Synonyms Punish, etc. See chastise.
  • noun See chesten.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To correct by punishment; to inflict pain upon the purpose of reclaiming; to discipline.
  • transitive verb To purify from errors or faults; to refine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To punish (in order to bring about improvement in behavior, attitude, etc.); to restrain, moderate
  • verb To make chaste; to purify.
  • verb To punish or reprimand for the sake of improvement; to discipline.
  • verb To render humble or restrained.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb censure severely
  • verb correct by punishment or discipline
  • verb restrain

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of obsolete chaste, from Middle English chasten, chastien, from Old French chastiier, from Latin castigāre; see castigate.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

chaste +‎ -en

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Examples

  • This is a classic example of deliberate capital flight and capital destruction, a tactic used by monopolistic finance capital frequently to "chasten" any government that appears to be intruding into the sacred practices of "free market" capitalism.

    Political Affairs Magazine 2009

  • This is a classic example of deliberate capital flight and capital destruction, a tactic used by monopolistic finance capital frequently to "chasten" any government that appears to be intruding into the sacred practices of "free market" capitalism.

    Political Affairs Magazine 2009

  • We need to place the blame where it belongs, to chasten our policy elites.

    Caryl Rivers: The Greedy Geezers Libel Caryl Rivers 2011

  • For all her whining that it's actually her that has been wronged, for all Fox News' post-speech takeaway that the president's speech absolved them from any culpability in the dangerous turn in public political discourse, I can't help but hope that the deaths in Tucson will chasten them, just a little.

    Trey Ellis: The President Has Come of Age Trey Ellis 2011

  • We need to place the blame where it belongs, to chasten our policy elites.

    Caryl Rivers: The Greedy Geezers Libel Caryl Rivers 2011

  • The decision shouldn't chasten common or garden variety celebs.

    Sunday Mirror eludes Ferdinand offside trap, but it's no reprieve for 'kiss and tell' | Andrew Scott 2011

  • For all her whining that it's actually her that has been wronged, for all Fox News' post-speech takeaway that the president's speech absolved them from any culpability in the dangerous turn in public political discourse, I can't help but hope that the deaths in Tucson will chasten them, just a little.

    Trey Ellis: The President Has Come of Age Trey Ellis 2011

  • There's more but that should be enough to duly chasten those of us treating the Scottish bard with unwarranted southern Californian familiarity.

    Well, it's been a quiet week here at The Inn. . . . John 2009

  • For all her whining that it's actually her that has been wronged, for all Fox News' post-speech takeaway that the president's speech absolved them from any culpability in the dangerous turn in public political discourse, I can't help but hope that the deaths in Tucson will chasten them, just a little.

    Trey Ellis: The President Has Come of Age Trey Ellis 2011

  • There's more but that should be enough to duly chasten those of us treating the Scottish bard with unwarranted southern Californian familiarity.

    25 January -- Robert Burns' Birthday John 2009

Comments

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  • No chastening seems to be joyful for the present . . . ; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. — Hebrews 12:11

    April 7, 2011

  • Belligerent fruit of the Lord of Astray, go to hell!

    April 7, 2011