A bull whip is a type of whip with a long, plaited cord, typically made of leather, used to strike or control animals. However, there are several other words that can be used as synonyms for bull whip. These include lash, scourge, whipcord, cat o' nine tails, and knout. Lash is a verb and a noun that means to whip or a strip of leather or other material used as a whip. A scourge is a whip used as a punishment or torture. Whipcord is a tough, braided cord used for whips, fabric reinforcement or for strapping things. A cat o' nine tails is a type of multi-tailed whip used in the British navy and a knout is a heavy whip used for punishment in Russia.