flogging

Everyday

1. A beating with a whip or stick as a punishment. tree →
2. (informal) Selling something: «flogging old toys». tree →
3. (informal) A heavy defeat in sport: «They got a flogging». tree →

In the lessons

In history: «a public flogging» was a cruel punishment. In sport talk, especially in the UK, Australia and NZ, «a flogging» means a big loss. In informal talk, «flogging stuff» means selling it.

Examples

• Flogging was a common punishment on old ships. tree →
• (informal) Our team got a flogging, ten nil. tree →
• He's been flogging cakes at the market all morning. tree →
• Public flogging is now banned in most countries. tree →
• The book described a cruel flogging. tree →
• (informal) That was a real flogging — we lost by fifty points. tree →
• And as the picture made no reply, he tore it down from the wall, set it on a cart and drove it away, flogging it as he went, and crying-- tree →

Note

Countable noun. Double g. The punishment sense is serious and cruel; the sport and selling senses are informal.