To punish someone in order to make them behave better, or to have a subduing or humbling effect on someone.
From Middle English 'chasten,' derived from Old French 'chastier,' which comes from Latin 'castigare' (to reprove or punish severely). 'Castigare' combines 'castus' (pure) and 'agere' (to make or do).
Interestingly, 'chasten' and 'castrate' share the same Latin root 'castus,' because both concepts historically involved making something 'pure' or 'separated'—one through moral discipline, the other through physical means.
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