thumbscrew

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“
Evidence by means of torture,--thumbscrew and suchlike,--we have for many years past abandoned as barbarous, and have acknowledged that it is of its very nature useless in the search after truth.

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Definitions (5)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A screw designed so that it can be turned with the thumb and fingers.
  2. noun An instrument of torture formerly used to compress the thumb.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • “A thumbscrew is a screwdriver,” I explained helpfully. —  EmbracetheNight
  • Tawnos gasped, ;What... is Ashnod replied, ;The Fallaji have a number of traditional tortures: rack, thumbscrew, and garrote, Mishra had worked his own version of the rack, years ago, designed to cause maximum discomfort for minimum effort. —  JEFF GRUBB
  • She closed the door and locked it with the thumbscrew, just to be sure. —  KillerSmile
  • When it's enforced by the equivalent of the rack and the thumbscrew, I should think so, Picard thought. —  Diane Duane - Star Trek : The Next Generation - Dark Mirror
  • The rack or the thumbscrew can't be used even it works really well at getting information and is done for an excellent reason. —  The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
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