1. to haul a ship or person under the keel of a ship as a form of punishment or torture
Usage: nautical; historical; also spelled 'keel-haul' or 'keelhaul'
2. to criticize or reprimand severely
Usage: figurative; informal

Examples

• The captain threatened to keelhale any sailor caught stealing from the ship's stores.
• The crew was keelhaled for their negligence during the storm.
• The manager keelhaled the team after their poor performance in the tournament.
• He was keelhaled by his parents for breaking curfew.
• The coach keelhaled the players for their lack of effort on defense.
• She keelhaled her colleague in front of the entire department for the mistake.