behead

[ bih-hed ]

verb (used with object)

1. to cut off the head of; kill or execute by decapitation.
2. Geology. (of a pirate stream) to divert the headwaters of (a river, stream, etc.).

behead

/ bɪˈhɛd /

verb

1. tr to remove the head from; decapitate

Other Words From

• be·headal noun
• be·header noun
• unbe·headed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of behead¹

before 1000; Middle English behe ( f ) den, beheveden, Old English behēafdian. See be-, head

Word History and Origins

Origin of behead¹

Old English behēafdian , from be- + heafod head ; related to Middle High German behoubeten

Example Sentences

In Karnataka, meanwhile, a 25-year-old Muslim man was found beheaded for his affair with a Hindu girl, allegedly by a local Hindu vigilante group.

From Time

I mentalize beheading each axon withan engraved fountain pen.

From MIT Technology Review

Boleyn became queen but was beheaded for treason when she didn’t bear a son.

From Ozy

Then they took out their once‑glimmering knives, now turned brown by Kobani’s dust and rubble, and beheaded her corpse right there on the street for all their men to see.

From Time

Sometimes the Islamic State shared images of beheaded YPJ fighters on social media.

From Time

They not only kill soldiers in battle, they behead them and burn them.

From The Daily Beast

When Khaled Saad answers his phone there is often a voice on the other end threatening to behead him.

From The Daily Beast

Right now a young woman whose husband tried to behead her is recovering from her injuries in a Ghor hospital.

From The Daily Beast

I suspect the Brits used to behead people for lesser breaches of protocol.

From The Daily Beast

He stepped forward as he spoke, and his esquire gave him the two-hand Sword of State, heavy enough to behead a bisonoid.

From Project Gutenberg

The weak thread of his patience broke, and in a fearful passion he commanded the guards to behead me at once.

From Project Gutenberg

Behead a time-piece, and leave something by which treasures are protected.

From Project Gutenberg

Behead a gulf on the coast of Africa, and leave a lair of wild beasts.

From Project Gutenberg

Behead a basket or hamper, and leave standard or proportion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• decapitate
• execute