What does "pigstick" mean?
A waterjet disruptor used to disable explosive devices.
Pigstick
noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A waterjet disruptor used to disable explosive devices.
- Grammar: pigstick is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: stab.
- Usage evidence: But if he goes (I always looked things in the face) I suppose I'll get to the Front, too, and do me best to pigstick someone in baggy breeches that I never saw or heard of before […]
How to use "pigstick"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pigstick" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pigstick" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pigstick" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pigstick" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pigstick" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "stab" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pigstick", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A waterjet disruptor used to disable explosive devices.
"The pigstick was set up on the nightstand next to him, the shotgun shell held in place by a metal arm. I followed the wire to a timing device, realized I had no expertise at all to disarm it, and chose instead to simply point the contraption away from Lance."
- 2 A staff that carries a flag or pennant above the mast of a sailboat.
"Above the truck there is frequently a slender vertical extension of the mast, called a pigstick."
- 3 An event or gathering at which pigs are hunted for sport. obsolete
"I send you an account of a pigstick at which I was the other day, if you care to insert it in your Magazine."
- 4 A stick that is used for stabbing.
"Nellie has often begged food from her : she has seen the woman use the "pigstick" to thrash the child with, and heard cries and moans coming from the end house."
Verb
- 1 To stab.
"But if he goes (I always looked things in the face) I suppose I'll get to the Front, too, and do me best to pigstick someone in baggy breeches that I never saw or heard of before […]"
- 2 To hunt pigs. obsolete
"There were generally enough, however, to pigstick with, hunt jackals, or even wolves at times, and "lark" over the steeplechase course which he had constructed round the* four hundred acre indigo field that was close to the house."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"But if he goes (I always looked things in the face) I suppose I'll get to the Front, too, and do me best to pigstick someone in baggy breeches that I never saw or heard of before […]"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pigstick"?
Common synonyms include: stab.
How do you use "pigstick" in a sentence?
But if he goes (I always looked things in the face) I suppose I'll get to the Front, too, and do me best to pigstick someone in baggy breeches that I never saw or heard of before […]
Etymology
From pig + stick.