gallows
Americannoun
-
a wooden frame, consisting of a crossbeam on two uprights, on which condemned persons are executed by hanging.
-
a similar structure from which something is suspended.
-
execution by hanging.
a crime deserving of the gallows.
-
Also called gallows bitts. Nautical. a support on the deck of a vessel, generally one of two or more, consisting of a crosspiece on two uprights, for spars, boats, etc.
noun
-
a wooden structure usually consisting of two upright posts with a crossbeam from which a rope is suspended, used for hanging criminals
-
any timber structure resembling this, such as (in Australia and New Zealand) a frame for hoisting up the bodies of slaughtered cattle
-
execution by hanging
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gallows
before 900; Middle English galwes, Old English g ( e ) algan, plural of g ( e ) alga gallows; cognate with German Galgen
Explanation
During the Salem witch trials in the late 1600s, women accused of witchcraft were executed by hanging, a gruesome process that involves a gallows, or wooden frame from which a person is hung by a rope. A gallows is a frame, usually wood, that is made up of a horizontal crossbeam from which a noose or rope is suspended. The word gallows has an s at the end of it because a gallows usually consists of two upright poles and a crossbeam. As a form of capital punishment, hanging is outlawed in almost every state, making the use of gallows these days very rare. If you see one, it will be in a museum.
Vocabulary lists containing gallows
Life Is So Good
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chains
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Treasure Island
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gallows humor; the fear showed in her voice.
From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025
Skirmishes over parking spaces at Gallows Hill or the Museum of Torture.
From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2023
Gallows humor goes with the territory in Sodo, the city’s industrial neighborhood that stretches south from the now-a-distant-memory Kingdome to Georgetown — “South of the Dome.”
From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2023
Her audition tape earned her a role in Meadows' The Gallows Pole, which is set in West Yorkshire in the 1760s and starts on BBC Two this week.
From BBC • May 29, 2023
Silent, they walked out toward the Beverly Ferry—then turned and tramped back across town toward Gallows Hill.
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
