The term 'whip severely' can be summarized by two crossword solutions: TAR (3 letters) and TAN (3 letters). TAR is an acronym for 'to administer retribution, ' which means to punish someone for a wrong they have done. TAN is an acronym for 'to administer punishment, ' which means to inflict a penalty on someone for a misdeed. Both terms refer to the act of punishing someone harshly, usually with physical force.