{Ducking stool}, a stool or chair in which common scolds were formerly tied, and plunged into water, as a punishment. See {Cucking stool}. The practice of ducking began in the latter part of the 15th century, and prevailed until the early part of the 18th, and occasionally as late as the 19th century. --Blackstone. Chambers. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
ducking stool — n. [altered (infl. by DUCK2) < CUCKING STOOL] Historical a chair at the end of a plank, in which a culprit was tied and then ducked into water as a punishment … English World dictionary
ducking stool — n a seat on the end of a long pole, used in the past to put a person under water as a punishment … Dictionary of contemporary English
ducking stool — ► NOUN historical ▪ a chair fastened to the end of a pole, used to plunge offenders into a pond or river as a punishment … English terms dictionary
ducking stool — Cucking stool Cuck ing stool (k?k ?ng st??l ). [Cf. AS. scealfingst[=o]l, a word of similar meaning, allied to scealfor a diver, mergus avis; or possibly from F. coquine a hussy, slut, jade, f. of coquin, OE. cokin, a rascal; or cf. Icel. k?ka to … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
ducking stool — Castigatory Cas ti*ga*to*ry, n. An instrument formerly used to punish and correct arrant scolds; called also a {ducking stool}, or {trebucket}. Blacktone. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
ducking stool — /ˈdʌkɪŋ stul/ (say duking stoohl) noun a stool or chair in which offenders were formerly punished by being tied and plunged into water. See cucking stool …
ducking stool — Also called a cucking stool. A stool or chair upon which a defendant was placed to be plunged three times in the water as a punishment under the early common law for the offense of being a common scold. 15 Am J2d Comm S § 3 … Ballentine's law dictionary
ducking-stool — duckˈing stool noun (historical) A stool or chair in which adjudged offenders were tied and ducked in the water • • • Main Entry: ↑duck … Useful english dictionary
ducking stool — noun A chair used to punish women, especially scolds, by ducking them in water … Wiktionary
Ducking-stool — Although descriptively apt, this may be a rhyming euphemism and polite form of *cuck stool … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
