pilliwinks

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English pirewinkes (“instrument of torture for squeezing the thumbs, thumbscrew”) [and other forms]; further origin unknown. It has been suggested that the word is a variant of Middle English pervink, pervinke (“periwinkle (plant; Vinca minor or Vinca major); (figuratively) evil man”), but the Oxford English Dictionary doubts this due to the difference in meaning. Compare Swedish pille-, related to pilla (“fiddle with the fingers”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpɪlɪwɪŋks/, /ˈpɪlɪˌwɪŋks/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpɪliˌwɪŋks/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈpɪlɪwɪŋks/ Hyphenation: pil‧li‧winks === Noun === pilliwinks pl (plural only) (chiefly Scotland, historical) A torture device for squeezing the fingers; a thumbscrew. ==== Alternative forms ==== pinnywinkles ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== thumbikin, thumbikins thumbkin === Notes === === References === === Further reading === thumbscrew (torture) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia