Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) the pillory.

a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

2. an unspecified gadget.

1923		J. Manchon Le Slang.
1986		S. King It (1987) 162: ‘I’ll tell you sumpin else, if you’ll turn off y ’whirligig, there.’ I turned off my tape-recorder and smiled at him.