Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PILLORY
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pronounce
PILLORY:
Say it "PILL uh ree."
(It rhymes with "Hillary.")
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Thanks to John for suggesting the word pillory! It's such a vicious little term.
As you can see in the picture below of a literal pillory, it's basically a post.
So, it makes sense that the word pillory may be closely related to our word pill__, meaning "a tall post or column that's used for support, decoration, or both"--or, figuratively, "a person or thing that provides strong support." Can you recall that one?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
With thanks to Wikipedia, here's a picture of a guy named Titus Oates, or Titus the Liar, in a pillory:
This unlucky guy was guilty of various crimes, including perjury, so he wound up in the pillory above. People hurled insults at him, and, later, eggs. Which is funny--however, he was also whipped there.
Today, "pillory" can still mean "a device for holding someone in place to be publicly embarrassed and punished."
More figuratively, "pillory" is "public abuse or humiliation," whether it's deserved or not.
"Pillory" is also something you do. To pillory people is to abuse or humiliate them publicly, whether they deserve it or not.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Sometimes a noun, the uncountable kind: "he was subjected to pillory," "her comments invited pillory."
But most often a verb, the transitive kind: "the media pilloried him," "even her fans pilloried her on Twitter," "the film was pilloried by critics," "society pilloried him for every stupid decision."
Other forms:
The common ones are "pilloried" and "pillorying."
Although "pillory" itself is a verb, an alternate verb is "pillorize."
how to use it:
This word is formal and serious, but it works for humor and exaggeration, too.
Use it to talk about all kinds of public ridicule, from lighthearted and funny to profoundly serious and cutting.
Because the original pillories locked people into a humiliating posture for public ridicule, "pillory" is an especially appropriate word to describe people making fun of others by sharing their photos or videos. It's as if we're locking a piece of them in place, forcing them to stay still while we administer the jokes, the criticism, or both:
With all that in mind, talk about people pillorying other people. "Pictured above: Seth Meyers ruthlessly pillorying Rudy Giuliani."
Or, talk about people pillorying other people's statements, actions, decisions, policies, etc. If we judge it to be bad or stupid, we're likely to pillory it.
You can also talk about people pillorying things or other people for something: "They pilloried her for taking steroids."
examples:
"Jessica Simpson was pilloried in 2009 when she performed a concert in a pair of high-waisted, wide-legged dark jeans—pants that would be considered incredibly chic in 2019."
— Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 12 November 2019
"[Diana Ross] has been the ultimate diva, an artist worshiped by fanatical fans, yet pilloried in the press for her temper tantrums and untoward demands."
— Publisher's blurb about Ed Ifkovic's book Diana's Dogs: Diana Ross and the Definition of a Diva, 2007
has this page helped you understand "pillory"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "pillory" without saying "public abuse" or "castigation."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Certain people) pilloried (some person, group, or thing) as (bad or stupid in some way)."
Example 1: "Consumers pilloried the brand as a cheap knock-off of Charlotte Tilbury."
Example 2: "Moderate candidates pilloried the Medicare-for-all program backed by Warren and Sanders as overly expensive, unworkable and likely to raise costs on middle-class Americans."
— Toluse Olorunnipa, Washington Post, 16 October 2019
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Rhyming Puzzles!
I give you a description of something, and you name it in a rhyming phrase. For example, if I say, "This is an ideal environment for a large tree-dwelling lizard--one in which this creature is perfectly happy and peaceful," then you say, "That's iguana nirvana."
The answers will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. If you'd like to see the clue, click or mouse-over the link. I'll share each answer the following day. Enjoy!
From the previous issue: You're ordering frozen yogurt with your friends, and you can't decide what topping you want. Marshmallows? Or strawberries? Marshmallows, you decide. No, strawberries. For sure. Wait--no--marshmallows. "Just pick a THING!" your friend says. "Any THING, it doesn't matter!" You say, "I don't know what THING! Which thing?! I keep going back and forth between THESE two things!" You're both annoyed by your _____ _____ __-_____. (Three words. The first word has two syllables. The second word has one syllable. The third word is hyphenated and has three syllables. Clue: use this word.)
Answer: froyo thing yo-yoing.
Try this one today: You're excited to head to an educators' conference, expecting a variety of interactive seminars and panels. The worst thing to do to a room of students--or any group of humans--as well you know, is to make them sit silently for a long time while one person stands at the front, talking and writing on the chalkboard. So you're astounded, and dismayed, to find the educators' conference is ___________ with _____-and-____. (In the first blank, use a word with three syllables. In the second blank, use a hyphenated three-syllable term with "and" in the middle. Clue: use this word.)
review this word:
1. A near opposite of PILLORY is
A. PUT ON A PEDESTAL.
B. PUT IN THEIR PLACE.
C. PUT AT ARM'S LENGTH.
2. He often _____, making him easy to pillory.
A. misspeaks
B. volunteers
C. pauses to think
a final word:
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I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Thanks to John for suggesting the word pillory! It's such a vicious little term. With thanks to Wikipedia, here's a picture of a guy named Titus Oates, or Titus the Liar, in a pillory:
This unlucky guy was guilty of various crimes, including perjury, so he wound up in the pillory above. People hurled insults at him, and, later, eggs. Which is funny--however, he was also whipped there.
Part of speech:
This word is formal and serious, but it works for humor and exaggeration, too.
With all that in mind, talk about people pillorying other people. "Pictured above: Seth Meyers ruthlessly pillorying Rudy Giuliani."
"Jessica Simpson was pilloried in 2009 when she performed a concert in a pair of high-waisted, wide-legged dark jeans—pants that would be considered incredibly chic in 2019."
Explain the meaning of "pillory" without saying "public abuse" or "castigation."
Fill in the blanks: "(Certain people) pilloried (some person, group, or thing) as (bad or stupid in some way)."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. A near opposite of PILLORY is
|