Ducking Stool
a chair in which scolding and vixenish wives were formerly securely fastened, to receive the punishment of being ducked in water.
The woman was placed in the chair with her arms drawn backward; a bar was placed across her back and inside her elbows, while another bar held her upright; in this uncomfortable position she was securely tied with cords. The persons appointed to carry out the punishment, by raising their end of the beam, caused the unfortunate culprit to go overhead into the water. The practice of using the ducking stool began in the 15th century, but had almost died out by the close of the 18th.