Meaning of Catherine wheel | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A breaking wheel, or wheel with spikes on it.
   historical
2. A firework that rotates when lit.
3. A cartwheel move.
4. A rose window.

Examples

“Sorcerers are too common; cunning men, wizards, and white witches […] have commonly St. Catherine's wheel printed in the roof of their mouth, or in some other part about them […]”

“[…] her tortures consisted of being broken on a wheel (later called Catherine wheel), but the machine broke down injuring bystanders; Catherine was beheaded.”

“She only lied to the boy to keep him from hurt, and for her sin her intestines were pulled from her on a Catherine wheel.”

“[Karoline] Leavitt threw Roman candles, Catherine wheels and smoke bombs in the air in the hope of distracting reporters. But she was unable to quash the nagging suspicion that Donald Trump has something to hide.”

“[…] she went on, making turns and twists, flourishing her skirts, kicking higher and higher, and finally, among a volley of shouts, fell on her hands and turned head over heels in a magnificent catherine-wheel; then scrambling to her feet again, she tumbled into the arms of a young man standing in the front of the ring.”

“We did a Catharine-wheel together down the passage. Somehow we gathered up a chair upon our way, and bounded on with it towards the street.”

CEFR level