Guillotine

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Guillotine

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun and verb

Pronunciation

GIL-uh-teen  /ˈɡɪlətiːn/

Definition

As a noun: a machine for beheading people by means of a heavy falling blade, used during the French Revolution; a machine with a descending blade used for cutting paper, sheet metal, etc.; (in Parliament) a procedure for cutting short debate on a bill by fixing a time limit. As a verb: to execute someone by guillotine; to cut with a guillotine; to impose a parliamentary time limit.

Plain meaning

The guillotine was the execution machine of the French Revolution. Extended senses include the paper-cutting machine with a descending blade, and the parliamentary procedure that cuts off debate at a fixed time.

Register

Historical and neutral when referring to the execution machine and French Revolution context. Slightly technical when referring to the paper-cutting machine and the parliamentary procedure. The parliamentary guillotine is standard political vocabulary in British English.