MAYHEM


Meaning of MAYHEM in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈmā-ˌhem, ˈmā-əm ]

noun

Etymology: Middle English mayme, mahaime, from Anglo-French mahaim mutilation, mayhem, from maheimer, mahaigner to maim, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German meiden gelding, Old Norse meitha to injure

Date: 15th century

1.

a. : willful and permanent deprivation of a bodily member resulting in the impairment of a person's fighting ability

b. : willful and permanent crippling, mutilation, or disfigurement of any part of the body

2. : needless or willful damage or violence

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.