Where does “pilliwinks” come from?
pilliwinks (English) comes from Middle English pirewinkes — instrument of torture for squeezing the thumbs,...
pilliwinks (English): A torture device for squeezing the fingers; a...
Definitions
- A torture device for squeezing the fingers; a...
Ancestry of “pilliwinks”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | pirewinkes | instrument of torture for squeezing the thumbs,... |