Baretti: A dictionary of the English and Italian languages
Pestá-re, v. a.
1. to beat, to pound, to bruise or bray; 2. to trample upon, to tread under the feet; 3. to beat soundly. — l'acqua nel mortajo, to beat the air; s. m. Pestá-tóre; adj. Pestá-nte.
Florio: a worlde of wordes, or most copious, dictionarie in Italian and English
pestare: to stampe, to punne, to bray, to bruse or breake with a pestell.