pillory
/ˈpɪləɹi/ noun, verb
Forms pillories pillorying pilloried
- noun (chiefly historical) A framework on a post, with holes for the hands and head, used as a means of punishment and humiliation.
- verb (transitive) To put in a pillory.
- verb (transitive, figurative) To subject to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse.
- verb (transitive) To criticize harshly.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English pilory, pillorie, from Old French pilori, pellori, which is either from Old Occitan espilori or Latin pīla (“pillar”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A frame of adjustable boards erected on a post, and having holes through which the head and hands of an offender were thrust so as to be exposed in front of it. Shak.
- verb To set in, or punish with, the pillory. "Hungering for Puritans to pillory." Macaulay.
- verb Figuratively, to expose to public scorn. Gladstone.
Etymology [F. pilori; cf. Pr. espitlori, LL. piloricum, pilloricum, pellericum, pellorium, pilorium, spilorium; perhaps from a derivative of L. speculari to look around, observe. Cf. Speculate.]
Etymology [Cf. F. pilorier.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “pillory”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details