1716 J. Perry State of Russia 218 (note) The Knout is a thick hard Thong of Leather of about three Foot and a half long, fasten'd to the end of a handsome Stick about two Foot and a half long, with a Ring or kind of Swivle like a Flail at the end of it, to which the Thong is fasten'd.

1753 Scots Mag. Jan. 6/1 The Russian government has been rendered more mild, by an abolition of the severe punishment of the knout.

1780 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 578/1 Death is often the consequence of a punishment apparently more mild, viz. the knoot.

1809 R. K. Porter Travelling Sketches Russia & Sweden II. xxviii. 20 I have been to witness the execution of the Knout, to a height of torture which very seldom is now inflicted.

1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud iv. viii, in Maud & Other Poems 20 Shall I weep if..an infant civilisation be ruled with rod or with knout?

1790 Coll. Voy. round World VI. xviii. 2162 At 16 years of age he was knowted, had his nose slit, and was banished to Siberia.

1863 G. A. Sala Ischvostchik 91 One was knouted to death only the other day, at the top of the Nevski, for the murder of a German commercial traveller.

1851 E. B. Browning Casa Guidi Windows ii. xxi. 128 Hast thou found..No repose, Russia, for knouted Poles..?

1887 Daily News 8 Oct. 6/1 Happily M. Verestschagin, who paints a Russian hanging, did not paint a Russian knouting.