1. (v. t.) To ply diligently; to work carefully upon.

2. (v. t.) To beat soundly; to cudgel.

accent accentuate always trot out baste bastinado batter beat belt birch buffet cane club cowhide cudgel cut drub dwell on dwell upon emphasize flagellate flail flog fustigate give a whipping give emphasis to give the stick hammer away at harp on highlight horsewhip insist upon italicize knout labor lace lambaste lash lay on overaccentuate overemphasize overstress pelt pistol-whip place emphasis on point up pommel pound pummel punctuate rawhide rub in scourge smite spank spotlight star strap stress stripe swinge switch thrash thresh over thump trounce truncheon underline underscore wallop whale whip whop