Dictionary

pillory en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɪləɹi/

Etymology

From Middle English pilory, pillorie, from Old French pilori, pellori, which is either from Old Occitan espilori or Latin pīla (“pillar”).

Meanings

1. (historical) A framework on a post, with holes for the hands and head, used as a means of punishment and humiliation.
   • Cros·! þou dost no trouþe ; / On a pillori· my fruit to pinne, / He haþ no spot· of Adam sinne ; / Flesch· and veines· nou fleo a-twinne, / Wherfore I· rede of routhe·: [c. 1400, “Dispute between Mary and the Cross”, in Richard Morris, editor, Legends of the Holy Rood: Symbols of the Passions and Cross Poems, stanza I, page 131:
   • […]I haue stood on the Pillorie for Geese he hath kil'd, […] c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
   • It was famous, too, for the pillory, a wise old institution, that inflicted a punishment of which no one could foresee the extent; also, for the whipping-post, another dear old institution, very humanising and softening to behold in action; […]. 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book II (The Golden Thread), page 38:
   • The other replied, That for ought they could ſee, the men were quiet, and ſober, and intended no body any harm ; and that there were many that Traded in their fair, that were more worthy to be put into the Cage, yea, and the Pillory too, then were the men that they had abuſed. 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 126:
   • To ensure good behavior, the slaveholder relies on the whip; […] to imbrute and destroy his manhood, he relies on the whip, the chain, the gag, the thumb-screw, the pillory, the bowie-knife, the pistol, and the blood-hound. 1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York; Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […], →OCLC, part II (Life as a Freeman), page 430:
   • Maires and Maceris that meanes be betwene / The Kynge and the comon to kepe the lawes / To pũnyſhen on pyleries and pynning ſtoles / Bruſterrs and bakeſters, bochers and cokes / For theſe ar mẽ on this mold þᵉ moſt harme worketh / To the pore people that percel mele byghe[...] [c. 1378-9, [William Langland], “[Passus 3]”, in The Vision of Pierce Plowman [...] (Cr, B-text) (in Middle English), London: […] Roberte Crowley, […], published 1550, →OCLC, folio xiii, verso:

Forms

Deriveds

pillorize · finger pillory

Translations (45)

la patibulum (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · fi häpeäpaalu (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · fa قاپوق (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · af skandpaal (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · es cepo f picota (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · da gabestok (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · it gogna (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sh prànger (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ca picota (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sl pranger (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · mk срамен столб (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ast cepu (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sv skampåle (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · uk гане́бний стовп (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · cmn 頸手枷 /颈手枷 (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · lt gėdos stulpas (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · gl picota (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sh stub srama (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · et häbipost (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · cs pranýř (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ru позо́рный столб (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · pt pelourinho (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · fr pilori (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · cmn 頭手迦 /头手迦 (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · pt cepo (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sh stup srama (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sl sramotilini steber (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · no gapestokk (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ca costell (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sk pranier (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · nl schandpaal (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · hu pellengér (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · bg позо́рен стъ́лб (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sh stup sramote (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · de Schandpfahl (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · sv stupstock (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ga piolóid (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · pl gąsior (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · de Pranger (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ja さらし台 (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · grc κῡ́φων (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · gl rollo (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · eo punpilorio (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · el κύφωνας (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation) · ast piquiella (framework on a post used as a means of punishment and humiliation)

pillory en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɪləɹi/

Etymology

From Middle English pilory, pillorie, from Old French pilori, pellori, which is either from Old Occitan espilori or Latin pīla (“pillar”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To put in a pillory.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To subject to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse.
   • There was no malice in my rubbish; but it laughed at the captain. It laughed at a man to whom such a thing was new and strange and dreadful. I did not know then, though I do now, that there is no suffering comparable with that which a private person feels when he is for the first time pilloried in print. 1883, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter 50, in Life on the Mississippi, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, →OCLC:
   • Mike Sarne would end up making a celluloid disasterpiece that is to this day pilloried as one of the worst films ever made. 2008, Steven Daly, “Swinging into Disaster”, in Graydon Carter, editor, Vanity Fair’s Tales of Hollywood: Rebels, Reds, and Graduates and the Wild Stories Behind the Making of 13 Iconic Films, Penguin, →ISBN, page 242:
3. (transitive) To criticize harshly.
   • [T]o suggest that their mere acquaintance in any way undermines Pinker’s work would be to make the kind of ad hominem fallacy that he rightfully pillories in this book. 2021 September 29, Jennifer Szalai, “In ‘Rationality,’ Steven Pinker Sticks Up (Again) for Reason’s Role in Human Progress”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • The breakthrough came through Torres who, pilloried for his miss against Manchester United a week earlier, scored his second goal of the season. 2011 September 24, Aled Williams, “Chelsea 4 - 1 Swansea”, in BBC Sport:

Forms

Translations (38)

fi arvostella ankarasti (criticize harshly) · pl stawiać pod pręgierzem (criticize harshly) · da sætte i gabestokken (put someone in a pillory) · hu pellengérre állít (put someone in a pillory) · nl beschamen (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · nl bekritiseren (criticize harshly) · de anprangern (criticize harshly) · pl postawić pod pręgierzem (criticize harshly) · nl kritiseren (criticize harshly) · nl aan de schandpaal hangen (put someone in a pillory) · fi panna häpeäpaaluun (put someone in a pillory) · pl piętnować (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · pl wsadzać w gąsior (put someone in a pillory) · fr clouer au pilori (criticize harshly) · nl bespotten (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · pl wsadzić w gąsior (put someone in a pillory) · nl aan de schandpaal nagelen (criticize harshly) · de an den Pranger stellen (put someone in a pillory) · no sette i gapestokken (put someone in a pillory) · es poner en la picota (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · pl napiętnować (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · no sette i gapestokken (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · hu kipellengérez (put someone in a pillory) · de an den Pranger stellen (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · fi soimata (criticize harshly) · fi teilata (criticize harshly) · hu pellengérre állít (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · hu kipellengérez (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · fi häpäistä (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · nl vernederen (subject someone to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse) · nl afbreken (criticize harshly) · eo punpiloriadi (put someone in a pillory) · no hudflette (criticize harshly) · de an den Pranger stellen (criticize harshly) · el στηλιτεύω (criticize harshly) · fr mettre au pilori (criticize harshly) · nl aan de schandpaal zetten (put someone in a pillory) · ru бичева́ть (criticize harshly)