GUILLOTINE


Meaning of GUILLOTINE in English

n. & v.

--n.

1. a machine with a heavy knife-blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading.

2 a device for cutting paper, metal, etc.

3 a surgical instrument for excising the uvula etc.

4 Parl. a method of preventing delay in the discussion of a legislative bill by fixing times at which various parts of it must be voted on.

--v.tr.

1. use a guillotine on.

2 Parl. end discussion of (a bill) by applying a guillotine.

Derivatives:

guillotiner n.

Etymology: F f. J.-I. Guillotin, Fr. physician d. 1814, who recommended its use for executions in 1789

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.