whip

A whip is a flexible tool used for striking, often for the purpose of urging on animals or administering punishment. Historically, whips have been employed as instruments of judicial punishment and for maintaining discipline in various institutions, including schools, prisons, and military forces.1

Instruments used for whipping vary, from simple sticks and rods to more elaborate devices like the cat-o'-nine-tails, which consists of nine knotted cords, or the Russian knout, made of dried rawhide thongs interwoven with wire. The term "whip" can also be used as a verb, meaning to strike repeatedly with such a tool, or figuratively, to defeat an opponent decisively. Historically, whips have also been a symbol of slavery.123