ETYM Old Eng. pestel, Old Fren. pestel, Late Lat. pestellum, Latin pistillum, pistillus, a pounder, pestle, from pisere, pinsere, to pound, crush.
A club-shaped hand tool for grinding substances in a mortar.

Someone who gambles extravagantly.

A lever that is moved in order to tap something else.
A lever or projection moved by some other piece (as a cam) or intended to tap or touch something else to cause a particular motion