thumbscrew

English

Etymology

From thumb +‎ screw.

Noun

thumbscrew (plural thumbscrews)

A screw that can be turned with the thumb and fingers.
An instrument of torture used to crush the fingers.
(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

Finnish: sormiruuvi (fi)
German: Rändelschraube f, Flügelschraube f
Irish: scriú sciathánach m

Persian: اشکلک شست‎
Russian: бара́шек (ru) m (barášek)

torture instrument

Finnish: peukaloruuvi (fi)
French: poucette (fr) f
German: Daumenschraube f

Greek:
Ancient: δακτυλήθρα f (daktulḗthra)
Irish: bís ordóige f
Italian: schiaccia pollici m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

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

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