witchfinder
Seeks out sorcerers
A witchfinder was a person who identified suspected witches, especially in 16th- and 17th-century England and colonial America.
Witchfinders used dubious methods—searching for "devil's marks" on the body, extracting confessions through sleep deprivation, or observing whether suspects floated when thrown in water.
The term now appears figuratively for anyone conducting ideological purges or hunting for heretics: The committee devolved into a witchfinder's court.
City or name
- trialsFormal legal proceedings
- InquisitionChurch tribunal against heretics
- accusationsClaims of fault
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
torture · execution · hanging · burning at the stake · demonology · Malleus Maleficarum · heresy · 17th century
Practice of dark magic
- hexMalevolent incantation
- familiarKnown from experience
- pactFormal agreement between parties
- curseInvoked harm through words
spell · coven · sabbath · black magic · necromancy · divination · occult · demonic
Unfairly blamed person
- zealotryExcessive devotion to beliefs
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- purgeEliminate unwanted elements
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
intolerance · bigotry · hysteria · mob · paranoia · vilification · crusade · victimization
Pursuit of quarry
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- searchAct of seeking
- detectionAct of finding something
interrogation · exposure · accusation · identification · surveillance · pursuit · examination · questioning
Salem
City or name
- trialsFormal legal proceedings
- InquisitionChurch tribunal against heretics
- accusationsClaims of fault
testimony · torture · execution · hanging · burning at the stake · demonology · Malleus Maleficarum · heresy · 17th century · Lancashire
sorcery
Practice of dark magic
curse · spell · coven · sabbath · black magic · necromancy · divination · occult · demonic · possession
scapegoat
Unfairly blamed person
- zealotryExcessive devotion to beliefs
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- purgeEliminate unwanted elements
accusation · intolerance · bigotry · hysteria · mob · paranoia · vilification · crusade · victimization · moral panic
hunt
Pursuit of quarry
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- searchAct of seeking
detection · interrogation · exposure · accusation · identification · surveillance · pursuit · examination · questioning · informant
- witchcraftspell, spellwork, spells, hex, hexes
- witch huntsSalem trials, accusations, burning at stake, Tituba, inquisition
- witch huntersinquisitor, accuser
- historical officialspraetor, consul, censor, tribune, prefect
- Salem witchcraftSalem, spectral evidence, Tituba, hangings, executions
witchfinderdefense counsel
Lawyer representing the accused
protector · abolitionist · advocate · exonerator · vindicator
witchfinderexonerator
One who clears blame
sympathizer · vindicator · ally · liberator · supporter
witchfinderskeptic
One who doubts claims
debunker · rationalist · freethinker · empiricist · doubter
find, witch, finding, witchcraft, witches, finder, witch-hunt, witch-hunts