gallows tree

American  

Or gallow tree

noun

1. a gallows.

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gallows tree British  

noun

1. another name for gallows

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Etymology

Origin of gallows tree

before 900; Middle English galwe tree, Old English galgtrēow, equivalent to galg ( a ) gallows + trēow tree

Example Sentences

And the men sing, On Mountjoy one Monday morning High upon the gallows tree, Kevin Barry gave his young life For the cause of liberty.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

You know the end of the old ballad; "Sae dauntonly, sae wantonly, Sae rantingly gaed he, He play'd a spring, and danced a round, Beneath the gallows tree."

From The Black Dwarf by Scott, Walter, Sir

Those that survived from the jailing betook themselves to the road, and became sturdy beggars, so that many of them too came to the gallows tree.

From The Fifth Queen Crowned by Ford, Ford Madox

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly, jovially Sae dauntingly gaed he; He played a spring and danced it round, lively tune Below the gallows tree.

From Robert Burns How To Know Him by Neilson, William Allan

Like the McPherson who danced so wantonly and rantingly beneath the gallows tree, she remained brave-hearted to the end.

From A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718 by Notestein, Wallace