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Pillory for Dummies

verb

pronunciation: 'pɪləri

What does Pillory really mean?

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Pillory: Hmm, pillory is quite an interesting word! It's not a word we come across very often in our everyday conversations, but it's still good to know what it means. So, imagine you're back in the medieval times, in a quaint little village. The villagers have this peculiar way of punishing people who have committed a crime or have done something wrong. They would place the person in a wooden contraption that would hold their head and hands, really tightly, in a fixed position. This contraption is called a pillory!

Now, picture this, my dear student. You're locked in a tight space, unable to move your head or hands. It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, right? Well, that's exactly what a pillory does to a person. It exposes them to public humiliation, making them feel ashamed for their actions. The villagers would gather around, pointing fingers, jeering, and even sometimes throwing rotten vegetables or shouting mean words at the person in the pillory. It's like being the center of attention, but in the worst possible way.

But wait, there's more to the meaning of this word! Pillory can also be used as a verb. To pillory someone means to publicly criticize or expose their wrongdoings. It's like shining a big spotlight on someone's flaws or mistakes, making sure everyone knows what they did. It's a form of calling someone out for their actions, kind of like how a teacher would point out a student's mistake in a classroom.

So, all in all, pillory is a word that describes a punishment device from the past, which trapped someone's head and hands, subjecting them to public humiliation. It can also be used as a verb to mean publicly criticizing someone for their wrongdoings.

Revised and Fact checked by Michael Davis on 2023-10-29 21:26:44

Pillory In a sentece

Learn how to use Pillory inside a sentece

  • In the olden days, sometimes people who broke the law were put in a public place and locked in a wooden structure called a pillory. People would throw things at them as a punishment.
  • Imagine if you did something bad, like stealing someone's lunch. Instead of going to jail, they might put you in a pillory and people would see you and get upset.
  • Long ago, the pillory was a way for people to publicly shame others who did something wrong. It was like putting them in a special kind of cage that everyone could see.
  • Let's say you saw someone being put in a pillory because they told a lie. You would see them standing with their head and hands locked up, and people might yell at them.
  • In history class, you might learn about the punishment called the pillory, where people who did something against the rules were treated harshly in public.

Pillory Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Pillory Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.