guil·lo·tine
 guillotine
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- pronunciation:
- gI
l
tin
[or]
gi
tin
- parts of speech:
- noun, verb
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
a device having a sharp blade that is dropped between two guide posts to execute a person by chopping off his or her head.
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| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
guillotines, guillotining, guillotined |
| definition: |
to chop off the head of with a guillotine.
The king ordered that the murderer be guillotined. |
| related words: |
behead |
In 1789, a French physician, Joseph Guillotin, came up with a new means of execution. The first
guillotine was built two years later. It was used to execute many people during the French Revolution (1789-1799).