Dictionary

pestle en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɛsəl/
• (Canada) audio

Etymology

From Middle English pestel, pestell, from Old French pestel, from Latin pistillum, from pīnsō (“pound, beat”). Doublet of pistil and pistillum.

Meanings

1. A club-shaped, round-headed stick used in a mortar to pound, crush, rub or grind things.
   • She then sat down by the fire, and carefully separated the stone from the pulp, which she burnt; and her next task was to extract the kernel, which she did by means of a heavy pestle and the hearth. The kernels were next crushed together, and placed to simmer over the furnace. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Laboratory”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 327:
2. (archaic) A constable's or bailiff's staff; so called from its shape.
   • I long to meet a Sergeant in this humor, I vvould […] trie vvhether the chopping knife or their peſtles vvere the better vveapons. 1611, George Chapman, May-Day. A Witty Comedie, […], London: […] [William Stansby] for Iohn Brown, […], →OCLC, Act IV, page 56:
3. The leg and leg bone of an animal, especially of a pig.
   • a pestle of pork

Forms

Coordinates

muddler

Deriveds

pestlelike · micropestle · knight of the pestle · mortar and pestle · pestle and mortar

Translations (167)

ar دَسْتَج (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tl panligis (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · he מָדוֹךְ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · am ዘነዘና (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fi petkel (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nan-hbl 研槌 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · da pistil (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · de Stampfer (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · su halu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ace alèe (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · id alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · af stamper (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nod ᩈᩣ᩠ᨠ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · gl mazarelo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ru пе́стик (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · cmn 碓 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nci texōlōtl (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · oma wéhe (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ja 擂り粉木 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sh ту́чак (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fa یانه (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi kuru (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · la pistillum (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mba hal-u (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · my ကျည်ပွေ့ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tl halo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ms alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ca maça (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mbb andu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · pl tłuczek (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nn støytar (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · he עֱלִי (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ceb alho (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · be пе́сцік (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fur pestel (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg тлъ́чник (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · akk 𒄑𒃶𒈾 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · da støder (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · de Mörserkeule (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · it pestello (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sv pistill (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · cy pestl (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es machaca (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fa دسته هاون (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tet alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · gu દસ્તો (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es macilla (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ko 막자 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · el γουδοχέρι (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ar يَد (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · et uhmrinui (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mn нүдүүр (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sco champer (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nb støter (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · yo ọmọdó (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es pistadero (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg токма́к (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · akk 𒈠𒁖𒆪 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · phk ꩬ︀က︀် (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ta குழவி (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hy սանդակոթ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg тлъчо́к (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · haw kuʻi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ms pengentak (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ko 절굿공이 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ff undugal (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ar مِدَقَّة (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mzs pilám (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es maneta (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ja 杵 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mk толчник (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · izh petel (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · cs palička (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi ngahiri (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tfr resgwo yoklo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ckb دەسکەوان (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ilo alo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es palo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · yka hellu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · arc אוּרְדּ֧כָא (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · is stautur (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · syc ܒܘܽܟܳܢܳܐ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ga tuairgnín (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi morenga (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · de Stößel (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · syc ܕܳܩܘܿܩܳܐ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mr बत्ता (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · msk aro (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tig መግድኢ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · uk пе́стик (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · az həvəng dəstəsi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hy սանդիտոռ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · pt pilão (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sv mortelstöt (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hil hal-u (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi paoi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tl pandikdik (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · syc ܡܪܫܐ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tsg halu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · blt ꪎꪱꪀ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · akl hae-o (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ms perosak (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ru пест (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ro pistil (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi pōtuki (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg бия́ло (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tr tokmak (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ckb دەساوان (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bcl halo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nb pistill (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · khb ᦉᦱᧅ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · rif azduz (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · rif ideydi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ko 방앗공이 (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ta உலக்கை (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · id antan (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · jv alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · kk келсап (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · laj alek (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ca mà de morter (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · dsb tłucnik (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · isd allo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · th สาก (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · grc ὕπερος (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ckb دەسکاوِنگ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sw mchi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · rgn pilôn (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es machacadera (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hu mozsártörő (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · kix mâi (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fur pestadôr (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg чука́ло (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · km អង្រែ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · shn သၢၵ်ႇ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · bg пе́стик (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es tejolote (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mrw ndo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · sh túčak (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · gd plocan (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · arc בוכנה (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · kaw antan (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hy սանդաթակ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nl stamper (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fo stoytil (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fi survin (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ibg alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ssy maataka (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · nn pistill (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · om bokotumaa (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · hy սանդաթակի (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · vi chày (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · dsb pěsta (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mak alu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · xcl տոռն (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ru толка́ч (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · lo ສາກ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es maja (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mdh endu (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · grc δοῖδυξ (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fr pilon (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · grc ναγεύς (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · es mano (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · ota طوقماق (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · mi tuki (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · lmo pestón (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · fa یاور (instrument used with a mortar to grind things) · tl pambayo (instrument used with a mortar to grind things)

pestle en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɛsəl/
• (Canada) audio

Etymology

From Middle English pestel, pestell, from Old French pestel, from Latin pistillum, from pīnsō (“pound, beat”). Doublet of pistil and pistillum.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To pound, crush, rub or grind, as in a mortar with a pestle.
   • ‘Next time, boy, that you use that mortar for garlic, I will personally knock out your brain, place it in the said mortar, pestle it to a fine paste and give it to Dick Purser for feeding the dogs.’ 2020, Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light, Fourth Estate, page 47:

Forms

Relateds

pesto · pistil