Pillory

An old-fashioned contrivance for the punishment of offenders; involving, however, public disgrace rather than physical suffering. The offender had to put his head through a hole or door, as it were, and his hands through other holes, and to stand there for such time as might be appointed by his sentence. It was at first appointed for fraudulent bakers and those who used false weights, and was afterwards applied to many other offences. It was abolished for England in 1837, by 7 Wm. IV. & 1 Vict. ch. 23. (Cowel; 4 Bl. Com. 377; 4 Steph. Com. 443, note.) It was in use in the colonies, but at the present day is disused in most, if not all, of the states; imprisonment being generally substituted. For a particular account, see Rex v. Beardmore, 2 Burr. 792.