ducking-stool

A woman is being punished by being dunked in the river using a ducking-stool.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Punishment device: A "ducking-stool" is a chair or stool attached to a long wooden lever, historically used to submerge a person in water as a form of punishment or public humiliation, especially for minor offenses like scolding or witchcraft.

Usage Examples

• (The punishment device was used to submerge her in a pond.)
• (The device was a common tool for public shame.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be put on the ducking-stool": to be subjected to the punishment of being submerged in water.

  • She was put on the ducking-stool after being found guilty of causing public disorder. (She was strapped into the chair and lowered into the water.)

• "ducking-stool punishment": the act of submerging someone as a penalty.

  • The ducking-stool punishment was intended to shame the offender rather than cause lasting harm. (The punishment focused on humiliation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ducking (n): the act of submerging someone in water as punishment.

  • The ducking of the accused was carried out at the town square. (The submerging was done publicly.)

• Stool (n): a simple seat without a back or arms.

  • The ducking-stool resembled a wooden stool mounted on a beam. (The seat was the base of the device.)

Synonyms

• Cucking stool: a similar device used for punishment, sometimes interchangeable with ducking-stool.
• Scold's bridle: a different instrument used to silence and humiliate scolds, though not involving water.

Phrasal Verbs

• Duck down: to lower the head or body quickly to avoid something, not directly related but sharing the verb "duck."

  • He ducked down to avoid the low branch. (He lowered his body quickly.)

• Duck out: to leave quickly or avoid a situation.

  • She ducked out of the meeting early. (She left discreetly.)

Related Idioms

• Like a duck to water: to adapt easily to a new situation, unrelated to the punishment device.

  • He took to swimming like a duck to water. (He learned quickly and naturally.)

• Take to the ducking-stool: an archaic idiom meaning to undergo punishment.

  • The troublemaker was forced to take to the ducking-stool. (He was subjected to the punishment device.)