picador

[ pik-uh-dawr; Spanish pee-kah-th awr ]

/ ˈpɪk əˌdɔr; Spanish ˌpi kɑˈðɔr /

one of the mounted assistants to a matador, who opens the bullfight by enraging the bull and weakening its shoulder muscles with a lance.

Origin of picador

1790–1800; < Spanish: literally, pricker, equivalent to pic(ar) to prick (see pique¹) + -ador < Latin -ātor -ator

pibroch, pic, pica, picabia, picadillo, picador, picaninny, picante, picara, picard, picardy

Published by Picador, the book is set for an October 2014 release.

Isabel Marant Lands at H&M; Burberry Breaks $1 Billion |The Fashion Beast Team |November 14, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Like a picador, he takes his time to sap the strength of his foes before clubbing them unconscious.

Vitali Klitschko Contemplates Bowing Out of the Ring and Entering Ukrainian Politics |Gordon Marino |March 26, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
After he had upset a picador, and charged on a chulo, he leaped over the fence into the avenue.

Vine and Olive; Or Young America in Spain and Portugal |Oliver Optic
He forced brandy down his throat, but the picador lay still and chilly cold.

The Wolf Cub |Patrick Casey

Eyes are flashing, on faces a flush comes, a number of hats fly to the arena in honor of the picador.

Lillian Morris, and Other Stories |Henryk Sienkiewicz
Horses were ripped up by him in exciting succession and one picador was caught under his fallen horse and badly bruised.

On the Mexican Highlands |William Seymour Edwards
Before the bandit accepted his invitation the picador drank, and drank deeply.

The Blood of the Arena |Vicente Blasco Ibez

picador

/ (ˈpɪkəˌdɔː) /

bullfighting a horseman who pricks the bull with a lance in the early stages of a fight to goad and weaken it

C18: from Spanish, literally: pricker, from picar to prick; see pique 1