Pillory (Noun)
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.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- In the town square stood a pillory as a reminder of the punishments of the past for those who broke the law.
- During the trial, the judge sentenced the dishonest merchant to spend an hour in the pillory as a public display of shame.
- In medieval times, the pillory was a common form of public humiliation used to punish those who had committed minor crimes.
- The old pillory, once used to shame villagers who had displeased the community, now stood as a dusty relic of bygone days.
- As the crowd jeered, the thief was led to the pillory and locked in, his face red with embarrassment.