choke pear en · NOUN
Meanings
- A metal torture device to be inserted into the body, consisting of a usually pear-shaped piece divided into spoon-like segments that can be spread apart by turning a screw.
- A kind of pear with a rough, astringent taste, difficult to swallow.
-
(archaic) A sarcasm by which one is put to silence; anything that cannot be answered.
I believe I have given her a choke-pear.
1748, [Samuel Richardson], Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| choke pears | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Pope's pear (torture device) · pear (torture device) · pear of anguish (torture device)
Translations (2)
fr poire d'angoisse (a metal torture device) · fi tuskan päärynä (a metal torture device)