Showing results for "bilboes"

• plural of bilbo.

bilboes

British  

/ ˈbɪlbəʊz /

plural noun

1. a long iron bar with two sliding shackles, formerly used to confine the ankles of a prisoner

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Etymology

Origin of bilboes

C16: perhaps changed from _Bilbao

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bilboes

Two weeks later his trial was had, and he was ordered "to be set into the bilboes," and afterwards sent prisoner to England.

From England in America, 1580-1652 by Lyon Gardiner Tyler

Ye’ve got the bilboes an, and they make it bad running.

From Commodore Junk by George Manville Fenn

Restraint, durance, confinement under arrest, or in the bilboes.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher

I would not be over-severe upon the bilboes in their special use in those early colonial settlements.

From Curious Punishments of Bygone Days by Alice Morse Earle

They saw two great strong-boxes filled to the brim with iron chains, broken cutlases, rusty bilboes, and rock; a fool's treasure in truth.

From The Pirate Woman by Aylward Edward Dingle