🇬🇧🇪🇸 keelhaul - reprender : English Lesson
verb
Meaning of "keelhaul" ("reprender"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.
To keelhaul someone means to yell at them or scold them VERY strongly, like a super-intense telling-off, usually because you think they did something really wrong.
My mom didn’t just scold me; she practically keelhailed me for trying to microwave a fork to “see the lightning.”
Grandma keelhailed my grandpa for sneaking cookies—while eating one of the stolen cookies herself.
The principal was about to keelhaul me for being late, until a squirrel ran through the hallway and stole the spotlight.
The cat keelhailed me with one judgmental stare after I bought “low-fat” treats instead of the good ones.
A long time ago, “keelhaul” was a real pirate punishment under a ship’s keel, so today we just use it to mean scolding someone REALLY harshly—no actual oceans or pirates required!
On deck the captain pointed at the torn sail. "I will keelhaul you," he said, cold. The mate vowed to keelhaul too, the cook promised to keelhaul in the galley. The crew cried keelhaul behind them. The captain began to keelhaul with a flood of words; the sailor sobbed, said sorry, and they stopped.
🧑🎓 CEFR Level: C2 Proficient
This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.
Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.
