Plenty of painful punishment (8)

I believe the answer is:

lashings

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'punishment' is the definition.
(lashing means beating with a whip)

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for lashings that I've seen before include "Lots and lots" , "punishment" , "a great deal" , "Great quantity" , "They secure" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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