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guillotine Definition

guil·lo·tine (gilə tēn′, gēə-; for v., also gil′ə tēn, gē′ə-)

noun

  1. an instrument for beheading by means of a heavy blade dropped between two grooved uprights
  2. an instrument, working on a similar principle, as for cutting paper
  3. Brit. a method of limiting Parliamentary debate on a bill by voting at previously fixed times on specific sections of it

Etymology: Fr, after J. I. Guillotin (1738-1814), Fr physician who advocated its use during the French Revolution in preference to less humane methods

transitive verb -·tined, -·tin·ing

to behead with a guillotine

Etymology: Fr guillotiner < the n.

guillotine Usage Examples

Object

head: Madame Tussaud collected the guillotined heads and made plaster casts of them, which she then filled with wax to give a reasonable likeness.

Converse of object

  • escape: She narrowly escaped the guillotine by pretending to be pregnant.
  • use: At work, using a guillotine or paper cutter.
  • have: We do not have guillotine motions these days; instead we have program motions, which were recommended by the Modernisation Committee.
  • include: Material preparation includes guillotines, saws, profiling, pressing and forming up to 300 tons.
  • craft: Our Price: £ 7.99 Finger Chopper The Trick: Have your spectator put a finger into this wonderfully crafted mini wooden guillotine.
  • drop: Then Slobo dropped the guillotine on the witness's overextended neck.

Adjective modifier

  • manual: The lads first manual guillotine, they want to try all of them on your own!
  • electric: There is a micro switch to stop the electric guillotine working unless you have closed the hatch.
  • mini: Our Price: £ 7.99 Finger Chopper The Trick: Have your spectator put a finger into this wonderfully crafted mini wooden guillotine.
  • wooden: Our Price: £ 7.99 Finger Chopper The Trick: Have your spectator put a finger into this wonderfully crafted mini wooden guillotine.
  • bottom: Higham Lock with bottom guillotine replaced by pointy gates.

Modifies a noun

  • gate: The Don Aqueduct has guillotine gates at each end.
  • motion: Jack Straw replied that there was no longer guillotine motions instead there were program motions.
  • lock: This is the first of the guillotine gate locks, which are standard on the river.
  • cutter: Other systems utilize a rotary knife rather than a guillotine cutter.
  • bottom: The guillotine bottom gate was put in during a 1930's road widening scheme.
  • blade: The diagnosis is quick like a dropped guillotine blade.

Noun used with modifier

  • paper: Discount business machines including paper trimmers, desktop and electronic paper guillotines.
  • miter: High quality blades for most types of miter guillotine.

Browse dictionary entries near guillotine

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  9. guildhall
  10. guilder
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