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Discipline

1. The treatment suited to a disciple or learner; education; development of the faculties by instruction and exercise; training, whether physical, mental, or moral. Wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity. (Bacon) Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience. (c. J. Smith)

2. Training to act in accordance with established rules; accustoming to systematic and regular action; drill. Their wildness lose, and, quitting natures part, Obey the rules and discipline of art. (Dryden)

3. Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience. The most perfect, who have their passions in the best discipline, are yet obliged to be constantly on their guard. (Rogers)

4. Severe training, corrective of faults; instruction by means of misfortune, suffering, punishment, etc. A sharp discipline of half a century had sufficed to educate s. (Macaulay)

5. Correction; chastisement; punishment inflicted by way of correction and training. Giving her the discipline of the strap. (Addison)

6. The subject matter of instruction; a branch of knowledge. (bp. Wilkins)

7. The enforcement of methods of correction against one guilty of ecclesiastical offenses; reformatory or penal action 7c8 toward a church member.

8. Self- inflicted and voluntary corporal punishment, as penance, or otherwise; specifically, a penitential scourge.

9. A system of essential rules and duties; as, the romish or Anglican discipline.

Synonym: education, instruction, training, culture, correction, chastisement, punishment.

Origin: f. Discipline, L. Disciplina, from discipulus. See Disciple.