guillotine

noun

/ˈɡɪlətiːn/

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[countable] a machine, originally from France, for cutting people’s heads off. It has a heavy blade that slides down a wooden frame.
- He was sent to the guillotine in January 1793.
Topics Crime and punishmentc2
(British English) [countable] a device with a long blade for cutting paper or sheets of metal compare paper cutter
[singular] (British English, politics) the setting of a time limit on a debate in Parliament

Word Originlate 18th cent.: from French, named after Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (1738–1814), the French physician who recommended its use for executions in 1789.

guillotine

verb

/ˈɡɪlətiːn/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they guillotine	/ˈɡɪlətiːn/ /ˈɡɪlətiːn/
he / she / it guillotines	/ˈɡɪlətiːnz/ /ˈɡɪlətiːnz/
past simple guillotined	/ˈɡɪlətiːnd/ /ˈɡɪlətiːnd/
past participle guillotined	/ˈɡɪlətiːnd/ /ˈɡɪlətiːnd/
-ing form guillotining	/ˈɡɪlətiːnɪŋ/ /ˈɡɪlətiːnɪŋ/

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guillotine somebody to kill somebody by cutting off their head with a guillotine
- Thousands of aristocrats were guillotined during the French Revolution.
guillotine something (British English) to cut paper using a guillotine
guillotine something (British English, politics) to limit the amount of time spent discussing a new law in Parliament
- to guillotine a bill

Word Originlate 18th cent.: from French, named after Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (1738–1814), the French physician who recommended its use for executions in 1789.