Flogging

Flogging is beating someone or something. Although it can often refer to a verbal beating ("he flogged the new movie"), more commonly it refers to physically hitting someone. The beating can be delivered with any implement, from a rod, switch, whip, or cat-o-nine-tails.

In the sexual realm of BDSM it typically refers to beating the submissive. Such floggings are not always delivered with forceful blows, sometimes it is done with very soft blows repeated a great many times so as to make the skin sensative. When this is done properly, the softest impact can feel very painful.

see: Flagellation