mayhem

Mayhem is defined as violence, damage or chaos, or the crime of crippling or mutilating a victim.

(noun)

See mayhem in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Law the offense of maiming a person; specif.,
1. the intentional mutilation of another's body
2. injury inflicted on another so as to cause loss of a bodily part or function necessary for self-defense
any deliberate destruction or violence

Origin: see maim

See mayhem in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Law The offense of willfully maiming or crippling a person.
Infliction of violent injury on a person or thing; wanton destruction: children committing mayhem in the flower beds.
A state of violent disorder or riotous confusion; havoc.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English maim, mayhem

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman maihem

Origin: , from Old French mahaigne, injury

Origin: , from mahaignier, to maim

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *mahanāre

Origin: , probably of Germanic origin

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