ducking stool

ducking stool
Cucking stool Cuck"ing stool` (k?k"?ng st??l`). [Cf. AS. scealfingst[=o]l, a word of similar meaning, allied to scealfor a diver, mergus avis; or possibly from F. coquine a hussy, slut, jade, f. of coquin, OE. cokin, a rascal; or cf. Icel. k?ka to dung, k?kr dung, the name being given as to a disgracing or infamous punishment.] A kind of chair formerly used for punishing scolds, and also dishonest tradesmen, by fastening them in it, usually in front of their doors, to be pelted and hooted at by the mob, but sometimes to be taken to the water and ducked; -- called also a {castigatory}, a {tumbrel}, and a {trebuchet}; and often, but not so correctly, a {ducking stool}. --Sir. W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Ducking stool — Ducking Duck ing, n. & a., from {Duck}, v. t. & i. [1913 Webster] {Ducking stool}, a stool or chair in which common scolds were formerly tied, and plunged into water, as a punishment. See {Cucking stool}. The practice of ducking began in the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ducking stool — n. [altered (infl. by DUCK2) < CUCKING STOOL] Historical a chair at the end of a plank, in which a culprit was tied and then ducked into water as a punishment …   English World dictionary

  • ducking stool — n a seat on the end of a long pole, used in the past to put a person under water as a punishment …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • ducking stool — ► NOUN historical ▪ a chair fastened to the end of a pole, used to plunge offenders into a pond or river as a punishment …   English terms dictionary

  • ducking stool — Castigatory Cas ti*ga*to*ry, n. An instrument formerly used to punish and correct arrant scolds; called also a {ducking stool}, or {trebucket}. Blacktone. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ducking stool — /ˈdʌkɪŋ stul/ (say duking stoohl) noun a stool or chair in which offenders were formerly punished by being tied and plunged into water. See cucking stool …  

  • ducking stool — Also called a cucking stool. A stool or chair upon which a defendant was placed to be plunged three times in the water as a punishment under the early common law for the offense of being a common scold. 15 Am J2d Comm S § 3 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • ducking-stool — duckˈing stool noun (historical) A stool or chair in which adjudged offenders were tied and ducked in the water • • • Main Entry: ↑duck …   Useful english dictionary

  • ducking stool — noun A chair used to punish women, especially scolds, by ducking them in water …   Wiktionary

  • Ducking-stool — Although descriptively apt, this may be a rhyming euphemism and polite form of *cuck stool …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

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