The Collaborative International Dictionary
Gallows \Gal"lows\, n. sing.; pl. Gallowsesor Gallows. [OE. galwes, pl., AS. galga, gealga, gallows, cross; akin to D. galg gallows, OS. & OHG. galgo, G. galgen, Icel. g[=a]lgi, Sw. & Dan. galge, Goth. galga a cross. Etymologically and historically considered, gallows is a noun in the plural number, but it is used as a singular, and hence is preceded by a; as, a gallows.]
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A frame from which is suspended the rope with which criminals are executed by hanging, usually consisting of two upright posts and a crossbeam on the top; also, a like frame for suspending anything.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows.
--Esther vii. 10.If I hang, I'll make a fat pair of gallows.
--Shak.O, there were desolation of gaolers and gallowses!
--Shak. A wretch who deserves the gallows. [R.]
--Shak.(Print.) The rest for the tympan when raised.
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pl. A pair of suspenders or braces. [Colloq.] Gallows bird, a person who deserves the gallows. [Colloq.] Gallows bitts (Naut.), one of two or more frames amidships on deck for supporting spare spars; -- called also gallows, gallows top, gallows frame, etc. Gallows frame.
The frame supporting the beam of an engine.
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(Naut.) Gallows bitts.
Gallows tree, or
Gallow tree, the gallows.
At length him nail['e]d on a gallow tree.
--Spenser.
Wiktionary
WordNet
n. instrument of execution consisting of a wooden frame from which condemned persons are executed by hanging [syn: gallows, gallows-tree, gibbet, gallous]
Usage examples of "gallows tree".
Amongst them were high treason and furthering the aims of international communism, conspiracy to overthrow the government by violent revolution, incitement to public violenceand these, if proven, led directly to the gallows tree.
Hence Odin was called the Lord of the Gallows or the God of the Hanged, and he is represented sitting under a gallows tree.
If we had remained standing by the gallows tree, we would have been lost.
Nothing would please me more than to see the three of you in gaol for life, or dancing on the gallows tree!
He fingered the splinter from the gallows tree with sick bewilderment Cuthbert lay beside him with his face made impassive.
It played slowly across the glistening white hull, like the spotlight of a theatre, picking out brief tragic vignettes before passing on, groups of men trapped at the rail, a twisting figure in an unattended stretcher sliding across the deck, a seaman caught in the tackle of a lifeboat and swinging go like a figure on the gallows tree, and finally the beam rested for a few moments on the huge red crosses painted on the white hull.
A gaunt and towering figure with shoulders wide as the gallows tree and the big fierce head exaggerated in size by the slightly twisted hooked nose and the dark thick bush of beard, shot through with grey.