pestle

From Middle English pestel, pestell, from Old French pestel, from Latin pistillum, from pīnsō (“pound, beat”).[1] Doublet of pistil.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛsəl/
• Rhymes: -ɛsəl

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pestle (plural pestles)

1. A club-shaped, round-headed stick used in a mortar to pound, crush, rub or grind things.
2. (archaic) A constable's or bailiff's staff; so called from its shape.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chapman to this entry?)

3. The leg and leg bone of an animal, especially of a pig.

   a pestle of pork

• muddler

pestle (third-person singular simple present pestles, present participle pestling, simple past and past participle pestled)

1. (transitive) To pound, crush, rub or grind, as in a mortar with a pestle.

• pesto
• pistil

• steple