pillory
1Pillory — Pil lo*ry, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pilloried}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pillorying}.] [Cf. F. pilorier.] 1. To set in, or punish with, the pillory. Hungering for Puritans to pillory. Macaulay. [1913 Webster] 2. Figuratively, to expose to public scorn.… …
2pillory — ► NOUN (pl. pillories) ▪ a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, in which offenders were formerly imprisoned and exposed to public abuse. ► VERB (pillories, pilloried) 1) put in a pillory. 2) attack or ridicule publicly. ORIGIN …
3pillory — [pil′ə rē] n. pl. pillories [ME pilory < OFr pilori < ML pilorium < L pila, column + orium, ORY] 1. a device consisting of a wooden board with holes for the head and hands, in which petty offenders were formerly locked and exposed to… …
4Pillory — Pil lo*ry, n.; pl. {Pillories}. [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}.] A frame of adjustable… …
5Pillory — (spr. Pilleri), in England eine Art Pranger, wobei Kopf u. Füße des Bestraften in enge Löcher gezwängt werden, u. derselbe so allen Mißhandlungen des Pöbels ausgesetzt ist …
6Pillory — (pillri), der engl. Pranger, Schandpfahl …
7pillory — I verb accuse, asperse, attaint, befoul, belittle, berate, besmear, besmirch, bespatter, blacken, blot, brand, bring shame upon, calumniate, cast a slur upon, cast aspersions on, cause a scandal, damage a reputation, debase, defame, defile,… …
8pillory — (n.) late 13c. (attested in Anglo L. from late 12c.), from O.Fr. pellori (mid 12c.), from M.L. pilloria, of uncertain origin, perhaps a dim of L. pila pillar, stone barrier (see PILLAR (Cf. pillar)). The verb is first attested c.1600. Related:… …
9Pillory — The pillory was a device used in punishment by public humiliation and often additional, sometimes lethal, physical abuse.The word is documented in English since 1274 (attested in Anglo Latin from c.1189), and stems from Old French pellori (1168;… …
10pillory — I UK [ˈpɪlərɪ] / US verb [transitive] Word forms pillory : present tense I/you/we/they pillory he/she/it pillories present participle pillorying past tense pilloried past participle pilloried formal to criticize someone publicly He was pilloried… …