cucking stool

[ kuhk-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a former instrument of punishment consisting of a chair in which an offender was strapped, to be mocked and pelted or ducked in water.

cucking stool

/ ˈkʌkɪŋ /

noun

history a stool to which suspected witches, scolds, etc, were tied and pelted or ducked into water as a punishment Compare ducking stool

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cucking stool¹

1175–1225; Middle English cucking stol, literally, defecating stool, equivalent to cucking, present participle of cukken to defecate (< Scandinavian; compare dial Swedish kukka ) + stol stool

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cucking stool¹

C13 cucking stol, literally: defecating chair, from cukken to defecate; compare Old Norse kúkr excrement

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