strappado Hear it!

strappado Definition

strap·pado (strə pā′dō, -pä′-)

noun pl. -·does

  1. a former kind of torture in which the victim was lifted in the air by a rope fastened to the wrists, then suddenly dropped part way to the ground
  2. the instrument used in this torture

Etymology: It strappata < strappare, to pull < Gmc, as in Ger dial. (Swiss) strapfen, to pull tight (akin to Ger strafen, to punish) < IE *strep- < base *(s)ter-, stiff > stare

Browse dictionary entries near strappado

  1. ‹ strapless
  2. ‹ straphanger
  3. ‹ strap hinge
  4. ‹ strap
  5. ‹ strangury
  6. ‹ strangulate
  7. ‹ strangles
  8. ‹ stranglehold
  9. ‹ strangle
  10. ‹ stranger
  1. strapped ›
  2. strapper ›
  3. strapping ›
  4. Strasbourg ›
  5. strass ›
  6. strata ›
  7. stratagem ›
  8. stratal ›
  9. strategic ›
  10. strategic income fund ›