guillotine

• Nom désignant un dispositif de mise à mort par décapitation, historiquement associé à la Révolution française, ou une machine servant à couper le papier.

A noun referring to a device used for carrying out executions by beheading, historically associated with the French Revolution, or a machine used in paper cutting.

1. Execution deviceB2formal

   A machine with a heavy blade used for beheading people, especially during the French Revolution.

   Guillotine (instrument d'exécution)

   • The guillotine was used as a method of execution in France.
   • Many nobles were executed by the guillotine during the Reign of Terror.
   • The guillotine became a symbol of the French Revolution.

2. Paper cutterB2formal

   A device with a large blade used for cutting paper or other materials.

   Guillotine (massicot)

   • The office uses a guillotine to trim stacks of paper.
   • She carefully aligned the paper before using the guillotine.
   • The guillotine made clean, straight cuts through the cardboard.

   Synonymespaper cuttertrimmer

• Exécuter quelqu'un en lui tranchant la tête avec une guillotine, ou supprimer brutalement/réduire fortement quelque chose (notamment un budget, un texte, une procédure), souvent dans un contexte politique ou institutionnel.

A verb meaning to cut off someone's head with a guillotine, or to cut or trim something sharply, often used in a political or procedural context.

1. Execute by guillotineC1formal

   To behead someone using a guillotine, a device with a heavy blade.

   Exécuter par guillotine

   • During the French Revolution, many nobles were guillotined.
   • The king was guillotined in 1793.
   • She was guillotined for her political beliefs.

   Synonymesbeheaddecapitate

2. Cut or trim with a guillotineB2formal

   To cut paper, cardboard, or other materials using a guillotine-style cutter.

   Couper à la guillotine

   • The printer guillotined the stack of paper to the correct size.
   • He carefully guillotined the edges of the poster.
   • The machine guillotined the cardboard into neat rectangles.

   Synonymesclipcutshearslicetrim