fəˈläŋgə, -aŋ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably from New Greek phalanga , oblique form of phalangas bastinado, modification (probably influenced by New Greek phalangi roller put under a ship) of Turkish falaka whiffletree, staff and loop for holding the feet of a bastinado victim, bastinado, from Arabic falaqa
: a method of torture in which the soles of the feet are beaten