[pes.tle] n [ME pestel, fr. MF, fr. L pistillum, fr. pinsere to pound, crush; akin to Gk ptissein to crush, Skt pinasti he pounds] (14c) 1: a usu. club-shaped implement for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar
2: any of various devices for pounding, stamping, or pressing
[2]pestle vb pes.tled ; pes.tling vt (15c) archaic: to beat, pound, or pulverize with or as if with a pestle ~ vi: to work with a pestle: use a pestle