strapado
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * A historical method of torture and punishment in which the victim's hands are tied behind their back, they are hoisted into the air by a rope attached to their bound wrists, and then suddenly dropped, with the rope jerking them to a stop before they hit the ground. This action, often repeated, causes severe dislocation and pain to the shoulders and limbs.
Usage
- The word "strapado" is a historical term, primarily used in discussions of medieval or early modern judicial punishment, torture, and historical accounts.
- It is a technical and specific term, not used in everyday modern language.
Examples
- Historical records indicate that suspected heretics were often subjected to the strapado to extract confessions.
- The museum's exhibit on medieval justice included a detailed description of the strapado.
Advanced Usage
- The term is sometimes used metaphorically in historical or political analysis to describe a situation of severe and sudden strain or punishment.
- The new economic policies put the small businesses through a financial strapado.
Variants and Related Words
- Strappado: This is the more common and standard spelling of the same word.
- Corda (Italian): The Italian term from which "strapado" is derived, short for "tortura della corda" (torture of the rope).
- Question extraordinaire (French): A historical legal term for judicial torture that often included methods like the strappado.
Synonyms
- Torture
- Punishment
- Judicial torture (specific context)
Related Phrases
- To put to the strappado: The historical phrase describing the act of administering this torture.
- The inquisitors threatened to put the prisoner to the strappado.
Noun
- a form of torture in which the hands are tied behind a person's back and they are lifted off the ground by a rope tied to their wrists, then allowed to drop until their fall is checked with a jerk by the rope