knout Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a whip with a lash of leather thongs twisted with wire; used for flogging prisoners

WordNet

Knout noun
Etymology
Russ. knut'; prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. knut knot, knout, Icel. kntr knot: cf. F. knout. See Knot.
Definitions
  1. A kind of whip for flogging criminals, formerly much used in Russia. The last is a tapering bundle of leather thongs twisted with wire and hardened, so that it mangles the flesh.
Knout transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To punish with the knout Brougham.

Webster 1913