pummeled
UK[ˈpʌm(ə)ld]US[ˈpʌməld]
v
to hit someone or something repeatedly, especially with the fists.
v
to defeat or criticize someone severely.
Etymology
the verb 'pummel' is an alteration of the earlier word 'pommel', which originally meant the knob on the hilt of a sword. by the mid-16th century, 'pommel' had developed the verbal sense 'to beat or strike with the pommel of a sword'. this action of repeated striking with a rounded object led to the more general meaning of beating with the fists. the form 'pummel', with the altered vowel, emerged in the late 16th century, solidifying the specific sense of repeated punching. the past tense 'pummeled' (or 'pummelled' in uk spelling) thus carries the history of a weapon's part evolving into a verb for a specific, forceful action.
Analysis
this word is a simplex form derived from the verb 'pummel'. it is not productively formed from multiple distinct morphemes in modern english. its core is the root 'pummel'.
Examples
the boxer pummeled his opponent against the ropes.
the hailstorm pummeled the roof of the car, leaving several dents.
the critic pummeled the director's latest film in her review.