0 to cause someone who has done something wrong or committed a crime to suffer, by hurting them, forcing them to pay money, sending them to prison, etc.: --
1 to use or treat something badly, violently, or without care: --
He really punishes that horse of his.
2 to cause people who have done something wrong or committed a crime to suffer by making them do something they don’t want to do or sending them to prison: --
She was punished for being late to school.