English Explanatory Dictionary

guillotine

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. 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 which is dropped onto the neck of the person to be executed; also, execution using this machine.
  2. A device or machine with a cutting blade.
  3. A device used for cutting the pages of books, stacks of paper, etc., to straight edges, usually by means of a hinged or sliding blade attached to a flat platform.
  4. An instrument with a sliding blade for cutting the tonsils, uvula, or other body parts.
  5. A parliamentary procedure for fixing the dates when various stages of discussion of a bill must end, to ensure that the enactment of the bill proceeds expeditiously.
  6. A legislative motion that debate be ended and a vote taken; a cloture.
verb
  1. To use a guillotine (on someone or something).
  2. To execute (someone) with a guillotine.
  3. To cut or trim (a body part, a stack of paper, etc.) with a guillotine.
  4. To end discussion (about a parliamentary bill or part of one) by invoking a guillotine procedure.
  5. To end (a legislative debate) by invoking cloture.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡɪlətiːn/ /ˌɡɪləˈtiːn/ /ˌɡiːjəˈtiːn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-guillotine.wav /ˈɡɪləˌtin/ /ˈɡi(j)əˌtin/

Word forms

guillotine guillotines guillotining guillotined

Etymology

Borrowed from French guillotine, named after the French physician Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (1738–1814), who proposed its use for capital punishment.

Derived words

antiguillotine dry guillotine guillotine choke guillotine clause guillotine shear guillotine shears guillotinism guillotinist Hume's guillotine guillotinable guillotined guillotinee guillotinement guillotiner guillotining unguillotined
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