Cyphonism

Cyphonism

Cyphonism (Gr κυφωνισμός, from κῡφός, "bent, crooked") was a form of punishment by the κύφων (kyphon), a sort of wooden pillory by which the neck of the malefactor was bent or weighed downward. Formerly, this term was widely believed to refer to a form of punishment in which the criminal's body was smeared with honey, and exposed him to flies, wasps, etc.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cyphonism — Cyph o*nism (s?f ? n?z m or s? f? ), n. [Gr. ????, fr. ???? a crooked piece of wood, a sort of pillory, fr. ??? bent, stooping.] A punishment sometimes used by the ancients, consisting in the besmearing of the criminal with honey, and exposing… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cyphonism —   n. pillorying as punishment …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • cyphonism — /sayfanizam/ That kind of punishment used by the ancients, and later by the Chinese, called by Staunton the wooden collar, by which the neck of the malefactor is bent or weighed down …   Black's law dictionary

  • cyphonism — /sayfanizam/ That kind of punishment used by the ancients, and later by the Chinese, called by Staunton the wooden collar, by which the neck of the malefactor is bent or weighed down …   Black's law dictionary

  • cyphonism — An ancient form of punishment by smearing the body of the person with honey and exposing him to the attacks of insects …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • cyphonism — …   Useful english dictionary

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