pillory
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈpɪləri/
- Archaic
:
púlpito
- According to The Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts (1648), a person convicted of forging legal documents was required to "stand in the pillory three several lecture days and render double damages to the party wronged."
- stand in the pillory
Examples
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Open punishments such as the pillory, stocks, and public whipping were commonly employed.
Academic text (1991) -
On Monday, he was to stand in the pillory at Westminster Hall gate for an hour with a paper over his head (which he must first walk around to all the courts in Westminster Hall) declaring his crime.
Academic text (2004) -
Granted, he is getting the public pillory right now.
Blog text (26) -
On Tuesday, he was to stand in the pillory at the Royal Exchange for an hour, sporting the same sign.
Academic text (2004) -
First offenders get three days in the pillory...
-
The prisoner shall remain for one full hour on the pillory.
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The thief was exposed to public ridicule as he stood in the pillory in the town square.
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During the festival, a mock pillory was set up to entertain visitors with playful jests.
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Historically, the pillory was used as a method to punish and humiliate criminals in front of the community.
Synonyms
A heavy wooden frame that holds a person's feet for public punishment
How Painful
- NSFW
1
9.9
- NSFW
12
9.9
- Offensive
1
9.9
- Archaic
1
9.9
73
4.7
Surface Forms
Etymology
Pillory comes from an old French word pilori that meant a wooden post or frame used to lock a person's head and hands. Think of it like a wooden pillar in the town square where people were held and shamed.