Pillory
noun
An open frame device where people were locked and publicly shamed in the past.
People who committed minor crimes were often punished in the pillory.
Often appears as...
- put in the pillory
- stand in the pillory
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
verb
To forcefully criticize someone, especially in public.
The government was pilloried by the press for its response to the crisis.
Often appears as...
- pillory someone for something
- pillory in the press
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
An open frame device where people were locked and publicly shamed in the past.
People who committed minor crimes were often punished in the pillory.
Often appears as...
- put in the pillory
- stand in the pillory
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
verb
To forcefully criticize someone, especially in public.
The government was pilloried by the press for its response to the crisis.
Often appears as...
- pillory someone for something
- pillory in the press
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Historical Punishment
Understand pillory was a historical device for physical and social punishment, not used today.
Museums may display a pillory to illustrate medieval justice.
Pro Tip 2/3Public Shame
Recognize pillory involved community humiliation, revealing stigma attached to certain crimes.
The town square had a pillory where petty thieves were displayed.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Usage
Realize 'pillory' may be used metaphorically to describe someone being harshly criticized.
The actor felt like he was in the pillory after bad reviews.
Pro Tip 1/3Historical Punishment
Understand pillory was a historical device for physical and social punishment, not used today.
Museums may display a pillory to illustrate medieval justice.
Pro Tip 2/3Public Shame
Recognize pillory involved community humiliation, revealing stigma attached to certain crimes.
The town square had a pillory where petty thieves were displayed.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Usage
Realize 'pillory' may be used metaphorically to describe someone being harshly criticized.
The actor felt like he was in the pillory after bad reviews.
Pro Tip 1/3Historical Punishment
Understand pillory was a historical device for physical and social punishment, not used today.
Museums may display a pillory to illustrate medieval justice.
Pro Tip 2/3Public Shame
Recognize pillory involved community humiliation, revealing stigma attached to certain crimes.
The town square had a pillory where petty thieves were displayed.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Usage
Realize 'pillory' may be used metaphorically to describe someone being harshly criticized.
The actor felt like he was in the pillory after bad reviews.
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Quote examples
Vinod Khosla
American Businessman
Did Google know much about media? Or Amazon about commerce? Tesla about cars? SpaceX about rockets? EBay about classifieds? What did I know about computing when I started Sun Microsystems? We should celebrate these entrepreneurs, not pillory them for fighting entrenched incumbent industries that have political influence and money.
Quote examples
Frank Wolf
American Politician
You can't just pillory the teachers unions and sound the free market trumpet. We must visit the failing schools. We must talk to the mother who desperately wants more for her child and offer a constructive way out. We can't simply lambaste... food stamps or decry dependency.
Quote examples
Max Boot
American Author
Well, a general danger of punditry is that there's very little incentive to change your position or admit error. If you reverse your position, the people who backed you before will be unhappy, but a lot of the people who now agree with you will still pillory you.
Quote examples
Alice Morse Earle
American Historian
The pillory and stocks, the gibbet, and even the whipping-post, have seen many a noble victim, many a martyr. But I cannot think any save the most ignoble criminals ever sat in a ducking-stool.
Quote examples
Michel Faber
Dutch Writer
So many books that have Christian characters but are written by atheists mercilessly pillory and mock and question the motives of people with faith. I'm past all that.
Quote examples
Vinod Khosla
American Businessman
Did Google know much about media? Or Amazon about commerce? Tesla about cars? SpaceX about rockets? EBay about classifieds? What did I know about computing when I started Sun Microsystems? We should celebrate these entrepreneurs, not pillory them for fighting entrenched incumbent industries that have political influence and money.
Quote examples
Frank Wolf
American Politician
You can't just pillory the teachers unions and sound the free market trumpet. We must visit the failing schools. We must talk to the mother who desperately wants more for her child and offer a constructive way out. We can't simply lambaste... food stamps or decry dependency.
Quote examples
Max Boot
American Author
Well, a general danger of punditry is that there's very little incentive to change your position or admit error. If you reverse your position, the people who backed you before will be unhappy, but a lot of the people who now agree with you will still pillory you.
Quote examples
Alice Morse Earle
American Historian
The pillory and stocks, the gibbet, and even the whipping-post, have seen many a noble victim, many a martyr. But I cannot think any save the most ignoble criminals ever sat in a ducking-stool.
Quote examples
Michel Faber
Dutch Writer
So many books that have Christian characters but are written by atheists mercilessly pillory and mock and question the motives of people with faith. I'm past all that.
Example 1 of 5
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