pillory

Plural: pillories

Noun

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
A framework on a post, with holes for the hands and head, used as a means of punishment and humiliation.

Verb

Verb Forms: pilloried, pillorying, pillories

To expose someone to public ridicule or contempt.
expose to ridicule or public scorn
punish by putting in a pillory
criticize harshly or violently
To put in a pillory.
To subject to humiliation, scorn, ridicule or abuse.
To criticize harshly.

Examples

I wanted to pillory my opponent’s weak play, but sportsmanship prevailed in Scrabble.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English pilory, pillorie, from Old French pilori, pellori, which is either from Old Occitan espilori or Latin pīla (“pillar”).

Synonyms

blast, crucify, gibbet, savage

Scrabble Score: 12

pillory: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
pillory: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pillory: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

pillory: valid Words With Friends Word