guillotine

American  

[gil-uh-teen, gee-uh-, gil-uh-teen, gee-uh-] / ˈgɪl əˌtin, ˈgi ə-, ˌgɪl əˈtin, ˌgi ə- /

noun

1. a device for beheading a person by means of a heavy blade that is dropped between two posts serving as guides: widely used during the French Revolution.

2. an instrument for surgically removing the tonsils.

3. any of various machines in which a vertical blade between two parallel uprights descends to cut or trim metal, stacks of paper, etc.

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verb (used with object)

guillotined, guillotining

1. to behead by the guillotine.

2. to cut with or as if with a guillotine.

guillotine British  

noun

1. 1. a device for beheading persons, consisting of a weighted blade set between two upright posts

   2. execution by this instrument

2. a device for cutting or trimming sheet material, such as paper or sheet metal, consisting of a blade inclined at a small angle that descends onto the sheet

3. a surgical instrument for removing tonsils, growths in the throat, etc

4. Also called: closure by compartment.  (in Parliament, etc) a form of closure under which a bill is divided into compartments, groups of which must be completely dealt with each day

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verb

1. to behead (a person) by guillotine

2. (in Parliament, etc) to limit debate on (a bill, motion, etc) by the guillotine

guillotine Cultural  

1. A machine designed for beheading people quickly and with minimal pain. The guillotine, which used a large falling knife blade, was devised by a physician, Joseph Guillotin, during the French Revolution and was used as the official method of execution in France until the twentieth century.

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Other Word Forms

• guillotiner noun
• unguillotined adjective

Etymology

Origin of guillotine

1785–95; named after J. I. Guillotin (1738–1814), French physician who urged its use