Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Discipline \Dis`ci*pline\, n. [F. discipline, L. disciplina,
   from discipulus. See {Disciple}.]
   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 nature's 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. (Eccl.) The enforcement of methods of correction against
      one guilty of ecclesiastical offenses; reformatory or
      penal action toward a church member.

   8. (R. C. Ch.) Self-inflicted and voluntary corporal
      punishment, as penance, or otherwise; specifically, a
      penitential scourge.

   9. (Eccl.) A system of essential rules and duties; as, the
      Romish or Anglican discipline.

   Syn: Education; instruction; training; culture; correction;
        chastisement; punishment.

Discipline \Dis"ci*pline\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Disciplined}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Disciplining}.] [Cf. LL. disciplinarian to
   flog, fr. L. disciplina discipline, and F. discipliner to
   discipline.]
   1. To educate; to develop by instruction and exercise; to
      train.

   2. To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring
      under control so as to act systematically; to train to act
      together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form
      a habit of obedience in; to drill.

            Ill armed, and worse disciplined.     --Clarendon.

            His mind . . . imperfectly disciplined by nature.
                                                  --Macaulay.

   3. To improve by corrective and penal methods; to chastise;
      to correct.

            Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?  --Shak.

   4. To inflict ecclesiastical censures and penalties upon.

   Syn: To train; form; teach; instruct; bring up; regulate;
        correct; chasten; chastise; punish.

Source : WordNet®

discipline
     n 1: a branch of knowledge; "in what discipline is his
          doctorate?"; "teachers should be well trained in their
          subject"; "anthropology is the study of human beings"
          [syn: {subject}, {subject area}, {subject field}, {field},
           {field of study}, {study}, {bailiwick}, {branch of
          knowledge}]
     2: a system of rules of conduct or method of practice; "he
        quickly learned the discipline of prison routine" or "for
        such a plan to work requires discipline";
     3: the trait of being well behaved; "he insisted on discipline
        among the troops" [ant: {indiscipline}]
     4: training to improve strength or self-control
     5: the act of punishing; "the offenders deserved the harsh
        discipline they received" [syn: {correction}]
     v 1: train by instruction and practice; especially to teach
          self-control; "Parents must discipline their children";
          "Is this dog trained?" [syn: {train}, {check}, {condition}]
     2: punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience; "The
        teacher disciplined the pupils rather frequently" [syn: {correct},
         {sort out}]