thumbscrew

English

Alternative forms

• thumb-screw, thumb screw

Etymology

From thumb +‎ screw.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθʌmskɹuː/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

thumbscrew (plural thumbscrews)

1. A screw that can be turned with the thumb and fingers.
2. An instrument of torture used to crush the fingers.
3. (figuratively) A weakness that can be taken advantage of.

   Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power

Synonyms

• (torture instrument): pilliwinks

Translations

type of screw

• Bulgarian: крилчат винт m (krilčat vint)
• Finnish: sormiruuvi (fi)
• German: Rändelschraube f, Flügelschraube f
• Greek: χειρόβιδα (el) f (cheiróvida), χειροκοχλίας (el) f (cheirokochlías)
• Irish: scriú sciathánach m
• Persian: اشکلک شست
• Russian: бара́шек (ru) m (barášek)

torture instrument

• Catalan: aixafapolzes m
• Finnish: peukaloruuvi (fi)
• French: poucette (fr) f, grésillons (fr) m pl
• German: Daumenschraube f
• Greek:

  Ancient: δακτυλήθρα f (daktulḗthra)

• Irish: bís ordóige f
• Italian: schiaccia pollici m
• Persian: اشکنک (eškanak), اشکلک (fa) (eškalak)
• Spanish: empulgueras f pl

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Georgian: ^{(please verify)} მარწუხი (marc̣uxi)