n.
Pronunciation: ' ga-( ˌ )l ō z, -l ə z, in sense 3 also -l ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural gallows or gal · lows · es
Etymology: Middle English galwes, plural of galwe, from Old English galga, gealga; akin to Old Norse gelgja pole, stake, Armenian ja ł k twig
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a frame usually of two upright posts and a transverse beam from which criminals are hanged ― called also gallows tree b : the punishment of hanging
2 : a structure consisting of an upright frame with a crosspiece
3 : SUSPENDER 2A