Keel-haul Edit Meaning

1.

A medeival naval punishment that involves tying a line to each arm of the convicted sailor and pushing him off the bow of the ship under sail. The sailor was 'hauled' along the barnacle encrusted 'keel' of the vessel aided by the movement of the ship and pulled back aboard at the stern of the ship. It hurt really bad.

"The punishment for stealing rations is keelhauling!"

2.

v. - invented by pirates, the act of tieing up a person and dragging them through the water behind a boat.

The pirates who found the stow-away keel-hauled the lad until he drowned.