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PILLORY
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Irregular inflected form: pilloried
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the wrists and neck; offenders were locked in and so exposed to public scorn
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("pillory" is a kind of...):
instrument of punishment (an instrument designed and used to punish a condemned person)
Derivation:
pillory (punish by putting in a pillory)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Criticize harshly or violently
Example:
The critics crucified the author for plagiarizing a famous passage
Synonyms:
blast; crucify; pillory; savage
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "pillory" is one way to...):
criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sense 2
Meaning:
Punish by putting in a pillory
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "pillory" is one way to...):
penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
pillory (a wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the wrists and neck; offenders were locked in and so exposed to public scorn)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Expose to ridicule or public scorn
Synonyms:
gibbet; pillory
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "pillory" is one way to...):
display; exhibit; expose (to show, make visible or apparent)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
