SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

cucking stool

play

noun cuck·ing stool \ˈkə-kiŋ-\

Definition of cucking stool

: a chair formerly used for punishing offenders (such as dishonest tradesmen) by public exposure or ducking in water

Origin and Etymology of cucking stool

Middle English cucking stol, literally, defecating chair

First Known Use: 12th century

Learn More about cucking stool

See words that rhyme with cucking stool

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cucking stool? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

threshold

play

the point at which something begins

Words at Play

That Sucks Word Alternatives

Your day is the worst. Your vocabulary is the best.

alt-5931949575ca5

'All the Feels,' All the Time

Once more, with 'feels'

alt-59480e09b8844

A Pineapple Is An Apple (Kind Of)

Pineapple once had a different, more internationally common name.

alt-594938b88b98e

Read This to Get 'Smart'

A thinking person's guide

Ask the Editors

Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us

June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Summer's first WOTD quiz.

Take the quiz

alt-5941ad7527c3c

Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?

Take the quiz

Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz

Bee Cubed

Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.

Play the game