Word · Frequency #22989
pillory
颈手枷
a wooden instrument of punishment with holes for the neck and wrists, used to lock offenders in and expose them to public scorn
旧时刑具
笑柄；示众
In use
After the failed project, the manager pilloried the team in front of the whole office.
The young singer was pilloried by online commenters for her unusual outfit.
Constant pillorying of public figures has become a toxic habit on social media.
put someone in the pillory
pillory 作名词指“颈手枷”，常与 put 搭配表示“把某人上枷示众”。
In the past, dishonest traders could be put in the pillory as a punishment.
过去，不诚实的商人可能会被戴上颈手枷示众作为惩罚。
pillory someone for something
pillory 作动词时表示“公开嘲笑、使当众出丑”，对象常为人，后用 for 引出原因。
The local press pilloried the mayor for his controversial decision.
当地媒体因市长的争议性决定而公开嘲笑他。
be pilloried as something
该动词常用被动语态，搭配 as 表示“被说成是……”。
She was pilloried as a liar by her former colleagues.
她被前同事们当作说谎者公开羞辱。
Common mistakes
The thief was put in pillory in the town square.The thief was put in the pillory in the town square.
“pillory” 是可数名词，指具体的刑具，前面需要加限定词（通常是 the）；中文没有冠词，直接说“in pillory”是迁移错误，加上 the 才符合英语对单数可数名词的要求。
The pillory of the mayor by local media made him resign.The pillorying of the mayor by local media made him resign.
名词 pillory 指“颈手枷”这种实物，不表示“公开羞辱”这个行为；要表示“被公开嘲笑/示众”的动作，用动名词 pillorying（或 being pilloried）。不要因为中文释义“示众”而误用名词原形。
Connections
Collocations
- be pilloried in the press
- 在媒体上受到公开抨击
- The politician was pilloried in the press for his remarks.那位政客因自己的言论在媒体上受到公开抨击。
- pillory somebody/something for something
- 因某事公开抨击某人/某事物
- The newspapers pilloried the CEO for the company's failure.报纸因公司倒闭而公开抨击那位首席执行官。
- pillory somebody/something as something
- 把某人/某事物骂成…；将…公开羞辱为…
- Critics pilloried the film as dull and pretentious.评论家抨击这部电影枯燥而又矫揉造作。
- put somebody in the pillory
- 把某人锁在颈手枷中示众
- In medieval times, traders could be put in the pillory for cheating.在中世纪，商人作弊可能会被锁在颈手枷中示众。
- stand in the pillory
- 站在颈手枷中受罚
- The prisoner was made to stand in the pillory for an hour.
Learner notes
Memory Tip
把 pillory 拆成 pill（药丸）+ ory：想象犯人像一枚被展览的药丸，锁在木枷上任人嘲笑、当众出丑。
Context & Register
语域：mixed 常见场景：historical accounts、media/political criticism pillory 作名词指历史上的颈手枷，通常见于历史叙述；作动词表示公开批评或使当众出丑，多用于新闻报道、政治评论等书面或较正式场合。
Grammar Note
注意：名词复数为 pillories；动词第三人称单数为 pillories，过去式/过去分词为 pilloried，现在分词为 pillorying。
Pronunciation & Spelling
真正押韵的是 distillery /dɪˈstɪləri/，它和 pillory 从重读音节起的发音都是 /ɪləri/。注意：territory、dormitory、inventory 等虽以 -ory 结尾，但读作 /ɔːri/；cursory 读作 /səri/；capillary 虽含有 pill 的拼写，但美式读音为 /ˈkæpəleri/，它们都不与 pillory 押韵。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.