pillories

Variant of pillory

pillory definition

pil·lory (pil′ə rē)

noun pl. pillories -·ries

  1. a device consisting of a wooden board with holes for the head and hands, in which petty offenders were formerly locked and exposed to public scorn
  2. any exposure to public scorn, etc.

Etymology: ME pilory < OFr pilori < ML pilorium < L pila, column + -orium, -ory

transitive verb pilloried -·ried, pillorying -·ry·ing

  1. to punish by placing in a pillory
  2. to lay open to public ridicule, scorn, or abuse

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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