gallows, the apparatus for executing the sentence of death by hanging. It usually consists of two upright posts and a crossbeam but sometimes consists of a single upright with a beam projecting from the top.

The French word for gallows, potence, stems from the Latin word potentia, meaning "power". Many old prints of European cities show such a permanent gallows erected on a prominent hill outside the …

Jan 6, 2015 · The meaning of GALLOWS is a frame usually of two upright posts and a transverse beam from which a noose is suspended and that is used for executions by hanging.

GALLOWS definition: a wooden frame, consisting of a crossbeam on two uprights, on which condemned persons are executed by hanging. See examples of gallows used in a sentence.

Nov 28, 2025 · From old wooden frames in Europe to the last public hanging, the gallows was a key symbol of punishment and power. Made of wood and rope, it showed both the order and the …

GALLOWS definition: 1. a wooden structure used, especially in the past, to hang criminals from as a form of execution…. Learn more.

gal•lows (ˈgæl oʊz, -əz) n., pl. -lows, -lows•es. 1. a wooden frame consisting of two upright timbers with a crossbeam from which condemned persons are hanged. 2. a similar structure from which …

Definition of gallows noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

There are 14 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun gallows, four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

The mayor of a North Dakota tourist town wants to erect a gallows on his front lawn to bring in more visitors.