In the case of HELD HOSTAGE, something of which「multiple prick-teasing fleshpots ganging up」on one client are capable. Multiple concubines PAWNED to another lord as PLEDGED SECURITY reparations after losing a battle as a「defense mechanism」against future attacks, often the case between fief lords with a harem meat herd. A virginal concubine not yet deflowered (「cleared of having gunk」), given as a gift, a bribe, tribute PAWNED to another lord as PLEDGED SECURITY. It should be obvious that an infected concubine would be a fine ruse from a duplicitous host to a guest whom the host wanted out of the way, and in fact this scenario occurred numerous times with visiting dignitaries to neighboring fiefs. Virgin concubines were deliberately infected without significantly damaging the hymen in order to preserve the mask of cleanliness, purity, innocence, and falsely gain the trust of the recipient.
　As applied to wealth and goods, quality is not always apparent on the outside, so first a sample may be analyzed and pawed like a cat in a chop shop, as in English meaning a PAWNSHOP, used formerly as a type of loan agent where your used item must first be examined and the value and quality ascertained, but might later be redeemed by you upon repayment of the loan, i.e., your goods were HELD HOSTAGE as PLEDGED SECURITY after being scrutinized for their inherent quality while you receive a loan. If you do not repay the loan, the pawnshop owner will sell your item to recover the funds…both pawning the item and holding it as collateral are「defense mechanisms」of a sort.
　Perhaps literally「multiple choppings with fleshpot」as if chopping into chunks and butchering some sort of carcass to ASCERTAIN QUALITY (and odor) prior to adding it into the fleshpot. Or「chopping for value」because often some found carrion, such as two-day-old shellfish, roadkill opossum, or other mystery meat intended to be dumped into a fleshpot must be first chopped open to ascertain its true ESSENCE, QUALITY and odor when this is INQUIRED about by tribe members or the finder, with various rancid portions removed for other uses.

Modern definitions (that generally disregard history) …excluding politically incorrect concepts and other meanings deemed offensive today; may list only pigeonholed definitions, euphemisms, or meaningless mnemonics)
Chinese: character; nature; quality; plain; to pawn; pledge; hostage; to question
Japanese: collateral, pledge, pawned article, quality, nature, to enquire of someone about something, to question, good
Unihan extended: matter, material, substance
EDRDG: substance; quality; matter; temperament