Gallows may be permanent, partly acting as a symbol of justice. The French word for gallows, potence, stems from the Latin word potentia, meaning "power". Many old prints of European …

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 …

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.

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

Dec 17, 2025 · French archaeologists discover rare 16th-century gallows in Grenoble with 32 executed victims from the Wars of Religion, revealing brutal Renaissance justice practices.

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 …

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

A gallows is a wooden frame used to execute criminals by hanging. He is on the way to the gallows.

Nov 1, 2025 · gallows (plural gallows or (rare) gallowses) A wooden framework on which persons are executed by hanging. [from 1300s] coordinate terms, near synonym quotations