guillotine
/ˈɡɪləˌtin/
noun
- A machine with a heavy blade that slides down to cut off a person's head, used especially during the French Revolution for executions.
- The museum displayed a replica of a guillotine used in historical executions.
- Many people were executed by the guillotine in the 18th century.
- The guillotine became a symbol of the French Revolution.
- A device with a sharp blade used for cutting paper or other materials, often in offices or print shops.
- She used the guillotine to trim the stack of flyers to the right size.
- The office guillotine can cut through 50 sheets of paper at once.
- He carefully aligned the paper before pulling the guillotine's handle.
- In politics or law, a procedure that limits debate or forces a quick vote on a bill.
- The government used a guillotine motion to pass the law quickly.
- The parliamentary guillotine ended the debate after only two hours.
- Opposition members protested the guillotine, saying it silenced discussion.
verb
- To cut off someone's head using a guillotine.
- The executioner guillotined the prisoner at dawn.
- The revolutionary leaders ordered the king to be guillotined.
- During the Reign of Terror, thousands were guillotined in public squares.
- To cut something, especially paper, with a guillotine device.
- He carefully guillotined the photographs to fit the frames.
- The printer guillotined the pages before binding them into a book.
- She guillotined the stack of business cards to make them uniform.
- To end a debate or discussion abruptly by imposing a time limit or forced vote.
- The speaker guillotined the opposition's questions after ten minutes.
- They guillotined the amendment process to pass the bill before recess.
- The committee chair guillotined the discussion to meet the deadline.
Synonyms