Definition of: guillotine

(gil′ə·tēn) noun
1. The instrument of capital punish ment in France, consisting of a weighted knife which falls and beheads the victim: invented by Antoine Louis, 1723–92, French physician.
2. A form of paper-cutting machine.
3. Surg. An instrument for cutting the tonsils.
—v.t. ·tined, ·tin·ing To behead with the guillotine. [<F, after Dr. J. I. Guillotin, 1738–1814, who advocated its use]