thumbscrew
/ˈθʌmskɹuː/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.37 in modern English
22
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A screw that is designed to be turned with the thumb and fingers, thus requiring no screwdriver or spanner (wrench).
noun
noun
A weakness that can be taken advantage of.
Example Sentences
- "Very interested, Dr Grimsby watched the saw follow the fine pencil line on the white pearwood as Peter dexterously twirled the veneers on the fretwork table, timing the movement of both hands precisely to put no strain on either the saw or the wood. Nor did he acknowledge their presence till he had finished a section of the pattern, gingerly released the saw from its upper thumbscrew, and drawn it out of the wood."
- "To ensure good behavior, the slaveholder relies on the whip; […] to imbrute and destroy his manhood, he relies on the whip, the chain, the gag, the thumb-screw, the pillory, the bowie-knife, the pistol, and the blood-hound."
- "Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power"
Etymology
Etymology tree English thumb Proto-Indo-European *(s)krebʰ-der.? Latin scrōfa Old French escrouebor. ▲ Old French escruveinflu. Middle English scrue English screw English thumbscrew From thumb + screw.