thumbscrew

English

Alternative forms

thumb-screw, thumb screw

Etymology

From thumb +‎ screw.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈθʌmskɹuː/
Audio (Southern England) (file)

Noun

thumbscrew (plural thumbscrews)

A screw that can be turned with the thumb and fingers.
An instrument of torture used to crush the fingers.
(figuratively) A weakness that can be taken advantage of.
Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power

Synonyms

(torture instrument): pilliwinks

Translations

type of screw

Bulgarian: крилчат винт m (krilčat vint)
Finnish: sormiruuvi (fi)
German: Rändelschraube f, Flügelschraube f
Greek: χειρόβιδα (el) f (cheiróvida), χειροκοχλίας (el) f (cheirokochlías)
Irish: scriú sciathánach m
Persian: اشکلک شست
Russian: бара́шек (ru) m (barášek)

torture instrument

Catalan: aixafapolzes m
Finnish: peukaloruuvi (fi)
French: poucette (fr) f, grésillons (fr) m pl
German: Daumenschraube f
Greek:
Ancient: δακτυλήθρα f (daktulḗthra)
Irish: bís ordóige f
Italian: schiaccia pollici m
Persian: اشکنک (eškanak), اشکلک (fa) (eškalak)
Spanish: empulgueras f pl

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Georgian: ^{(please verify)} მარწუხი (marc̣uxi)

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