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⇱ pestle - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

pestle

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈpɛsəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈpɛsəl, ˈpɛstəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pes′əl, pes′tl)

Inflections of 'pestle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
pestles
v 3rd person singular
pestling
v pres p
pestled
v past
pestled
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pes•tle /ˈpɛsəl, ˈpɛstəl/USA pronunciation   n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. [countable]
  1. Buildinga tool for grinding substances in a mortar, usually having a heavy, rounded end.

v. [~ + object]
  1. Buildingto pound or grind with or as if with a pestle.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pes•tle  (pes′əl, pes′tl),USA pronunciation n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 
  1. Buildinga tool for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar. See illus. under mortar 1.
  2. Buildingany of various appliances for pounding, stamping, etc.

v.t. 
  1. Buildingto pound or grind with or as if with a pestle.

v.i. 
  1. Buildingto work with a pestle.
  • Latin pistillum, derivative of pistus, past participle of pīnsere to pound, crush
  • Middle French
  • Middle English pestel 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
pestle /ˈpɛsəl/ n
  1. a club-shaped instrument for mixing or grinding substances in a mortar
  2. a tool for pounding or stamping
 vb
  1. to pound (a substance or object) with or as if with a pestle
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French pestel, from Latin pistillum; related to pinsāre to crush
'pestle' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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