thumbscrew

noun

thumb·​screw ˈthəm-ˌskrü How to pronounce thumbscrew (audio)
1
: an instrument of torture for compressing the thumb by a screw
2
: a screw having a flat-sided or knurled head so that it may be turned by the thumb and index finger

Illustration of thumbscrew

Illustration of thumbscrew
  • thumbscrew 2

Examples of thumbscrew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And both side panels are tool-less, a snap to slide open with two non-removable thumbscrews. — Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 The hood secures via a small thumbscrew and is deeper than the lens itself, just like the one for the Leica Summaron. — PCMAG, 26 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thumbscrew was in 1788

Rhymes for thumbscrew

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Cite this Entry

“Thumbscrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thumbscrew. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thumbscrew

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