iron maiden
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈaɪərn ˈmeɪdən/
- NSFW
:
doncella de hierro
- Historians say that the iron maiden was often used during the Inquisition as a gruesome way to punish those accused of heresy.
Examples
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Put them in the iron maiden.
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- The iron maiden ?
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The iron maiden was a terrifying instrument of torture used in medieval times, designed to impale its victims with sharp spikes.
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In the museum, the iron maiden stands as a chilling reminder of the brutal methods used in medieval torture.
How Painful
- NSFW
1
9.9
- NSFW
12
9.9
- Offensive
1
9.9
- Archaic
1
9.9
73
4.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although the compound literally combines 'iron' and 'maiden', a B1 learner who knows those words would at best infer a ‘woman of iron’ or something made of iron, not a specific spiked human-shaped torture cabinet. The specialized historical and cultural sense (a medieval torture device) is not predictable from the constituents and therefore requires prior exposure or explanation.
Etymology
The noun iron maiden may come from the image of a life-size iron box made to look like a maiden, with sharp spikes inside that would stick into a person when it closed. That's why the name is used for a very cruel 'torture device'.