guillotine

Etymology

From French guillotine, after Dr Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, who proposed its use for capital punishment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɪlətiːn/ or IPA^(key): /ˈɡiː.ətiːn/

Noun

guillotine (plural guillotines)

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.
2. A device used for cutting stacks of paper to straight edges, usually by means of a hinged blade attached to a flat platform.
3. A cloture; a motion that debate be ended and a vote taken.
4. A surgical instrument for cutting the tonsils.

Verb

guillotine (third-person singular simple present guillotines, present participle guillotining, simple past and past participle guillotined)

1. (transitive) To execute, cut or cut short (a person, a stack of paper or a debate) by use of a guillotine.
2. (transitive) To end discussion on a parliamentary bill by invoking cloture.

Further reading

• guillotine on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology

After Dr Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, who proposed its use for capital punishment. The surname is a diminutive of Guillot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡijɔtin/

Noun

guillotine f (plural guillotines)

1. guillotine (machine)

Verb

guillotine

1. first-person singular present indicative of guillotiner
2. third-person singular present indicative of guillotiner
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of guillotiner
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of guillotiner
5. second-person singular imperative of guillotiner

Further reading

• “guillotine” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Verb

guillotine

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of guillotinar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of guillotinar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of guillotinar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of guillotinar.