I. ˈgiləˌtēn, ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷; ˌgē(y)əˈtēn, ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, after Joseph Ignace Guillotin died 1814 French physician who in 1789 proposed its use
1. : a machine for beheading by means of a heavy ax or blade that slides down in vertical guides
2. : a shearing machine or instrument (as a paper cutter or metal cutter) that in action resembles a guillotine
3. : a surgical instrument that consists of a ring bearing a sliding knife blade and is used for cutting out a tonsil or other protruding structure capable of being engaged by the ring
4. : closure by the imposition of a predetermined time limit on the consideration of specific sections of a bill or portions of other legislative business
announced that the Transport Bill was to pass — under a guillotine — by 10 p.m. on Monday — Punch
the New Zealand House has not had to adopt the guillotine — Walter Nash
5. : a window with a vertically sliding sash and without counterbalanced sash weights
6. : something likened to a guillotine especially in bringing about an abrupt termination (as of a former occupation)
that guillotine of joys, bedtime — Nadine Gordimer
— compare axe 3
7. : a wrestling fall in which from a cross-body ride the aggressor shifts his own arms and head under the opponent's locked arm and grasps the opponent's head in a reverse half nelson while retaining a scissors grip on his near leg
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: French guillotiner, from guillotine
transitive verb
1.
a. : to behead with a guillotine
b. : to trim with a guillotine
2. : to cut off or cut short as if with a guillotine
guillotining needless waste
3. : to subject (as a bill) to the guillotine
the power to guillotine bills in standing committee — Herbert Morrison
intransitive verb
: to impose the guillotine
the power to guillotine