chabuk

English

Alternative forms

• chabouk, chaubac, chaubuck, chawbuck

Etymology

From Hindustani چابک / चाबुक (cābuk), from Classical Persian چابک (čābuk, “quick, swift; horsewhip”). Doublet of sjambok.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃɑːbʊk/

Noun

chabuk (plural chabuks)

1. (now historical) A long whip formerly used as an instrument of punishment in India and parts of the Middle East.
   • 2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies, Penguin, published 2015, page 98:

     Shut your mouths and get back to work or I'll whip you with my own chabuk.

References

• Henry Yule, A[rthur] C[oke] Burnell (1903) “chawbuck”, in William Crooke, editor, Hobson-Jobson […] , London: John Murray, […], page 185.
• Edward Balfour (1885) Cyclopaedia of India