Lexic.us

Definition of Guillotine

1. Noun. Closure imposed on the debate of specific sections of a bill.

2. Verb. Kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine. "They want to guillotine the prisoners "; "The French guillotined many Vietnamese while they occupied the country"

3. Noun. Instrument of execution that consists of a weighted blade between two vertical poles; used for beheading people.

Definition of Guillotine

1. n. A machine for beheading a person by one stroke of a heavy ax or blade, which slides in vertical guides, is raised by a cord, and let fall upon the neck of the victim.

2. v. t. To behead with the guillotine.

Definition of Guillotine

1. Noun. A machine used for the application of capital punishment by decapitation, consisting of a tall upright frame from which is suspended a heavy diagonal-edged blade. ¹

2. Noun. A device used for cutting stacks of paper to straight edges, usually by means of a hinged blade attached to a flat platform. ¹

3. Noun. A cloture; a motion that debate be ended and a vote taken. ¹

4. Verb. (transitive) To execute, cut or cut short (a person, a stack of paper or a debate) by use of a guillotine. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Guillotine

1. [v -TINED, -TINING, -TINES]

Medical Definition of Guillotine

1. 1. A machine for beheading a person by one stroke of a heavy ax or blade, which slides in vertical guides, is raised by a cord, and let fall upon the neck of the victim. 2. Any machine or instrument for cutting or shearing, resembling in its action a guillotine. Origin: F, from Guillotin, a French physician, who proposed, in the Constituent Assembly of 1789, to abolish decapitation with the ax or sword. The instrument was invented by Dr. Antoine Louis, and was called at first Louison or Louisette. Similar machines, however, were known earlier. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Guillotine Pictures

Click the following link to bring up a new window with an automated collection of images related to the term: Guillotine Images

Lexicographical Neighbors of Guillotine

guilelessly guilelessness guilelessnesses guiler guilers guiles guiling guillemet guillemets guilleminite

guillemot guillemots guilloche guilloched guilloches guillotine (current term) guillotine amputation guillotined guillotines guillotining

guilor guilors guilt guilt-ridden guilt-sick guilt feelings guilt pang guilt trip guilt trips

Literary usage of Guillotine

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Irish Literature by Justin McCarthy, Maurice Francis Egan, Douglas Hyde, Charles Welsh, Gregory, James Jeffrey Roche (1904)
"THE guillotine IN FRANCE. From ' The History of the guillotine.' The guillotine remained in the Place de la Revolution till the eighth of June, 1794, ..."

2. Pye's Surgical Handicraft: A Manual of Surgical Manipulations, Minor Surgery by Walter Pye (1893)
"This was the old operation, and as such was strongly recommended by Syme, but now some form of guillotine is The guillotine. commonly used. ..."

3. Encyclopaedia Britannica, a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and edited by Hugh Chisholm (1910)
"There is still preserved in the antiquarian museum of Edinburgh the rude guillotine called the " maiden " by which the regent Morton was decapitated in 1581 ..."

4. Essays on the Early Period of the French Revolution by John Wilson Croker (1857)
"The summary vengeance of the lanterne in the earlier years—the systematised murders of the guillotine under the Convention—the arbitrary exile to ..."

5. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature by H.W. Wilson Company (1909)
"guillotine. Origin of the guillotine. JM Hart. Nation. 88: 383. Ap. 15, '09. guillotine, Society of the; story. SW Mitchell. il. Cent. 78: 323-46. Jl. '09. ..."

Other Resources Relating to: Guillotine