I. ˈmāˌhem also -āəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English maym, from Anglo-French mahaim, mayhem — more at maim
1.
a. : the malicious and permanent deprivation of another of the use of a member of his body resulting in impairment of his fighting ability and constituting a grave felony under English common law
b. : the malicious and permanent crippling, mutilation, or disfiguring of another constituting a grave felony under modern statutes but in some jurisdictions requiring a specific intent as distinguished from general malice
physicians, accused … of sterilizing her through trickery, were ordered held for trial on charges of conspiracy to commit mayhem — Associated Press
2. : needless or willful damage (as in literary criticism or editorial activity)
II. transitive verb
( mayhemed or mayhemmed ; mayhemed or mayhemmed ; mayheming or mayhemming ; mayhems )
: to commit mayhem on