executioner

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ex·e·cu·tion·er

(ĕk′sĭ-kyo͞o′shə-nər)

One who executes a condemned person.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

executioner

(ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃənə)

1. (Professions) an official charged with carrying out the death sentence passed upon a condemned person

2. (Professions) an assassin, esp one appointed by a political or criminal organization

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ex•e•cu•tion•er

(ˌɛk sɪˈkyu ʃə nər)

n.

1. an official who inflicts capital punishment in pursuance of a legal warrant.

2. a person who executes an act, will, judgment, etc.

[1555–65]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

executioner - an official who inflicts capital punishment in pursuit of a warrant

public executioner

electrocutioner - an executioner who uses electricity to kill the condemned person

hangman - an executioner who hangs the condemned person

headman, headsman - an executioner who beheads the condemned person

killer, slayer - someone who causes the death of a person or animal

executioner

noun hangman, firing squad, headsman, public executioner, Jack Ketch The criminals will be hanged by the official executioner.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

جَلاّد، مُنَفِّذ حُكْم الإعْدام

katpopravčí

bøddel

Henker

δήμιος

verdugo

bourreau coupe-tête exécuteur des hautes œuvres tranche-tête

hóhér

böðullböîull

carnefice giustiziere boia

rabelj

bödel

cellât

行刑者

executioner

[ˌeksɪˈkjuːʃnəʳ] N → verdugo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

executioner

[ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃənə^r] n → bourreau m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

executioner

n → Henker m, → Scharfrichter m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

executioner

[ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃnəʳ] n → boia m inv

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

execute

(ˈeksikjuːt) verb

1. to put to death by order of the law. After the war many traitors were executed.

2. to carry out (instructions etc).

3. to perform (a movement etc usually requiring skill).

ˌexeˈcution (-ʃən) noun

1. (an act of) killing by law. The judge ordered the execution of the murderer.

2. the act of executing (orders or skilled movements etc).

ˌexeˈcutioner noun

a person whose duty is to put to death condemned persons.

executive (igˈzekjutiv) adjective

1. (in a business organization etc) concerned with management. executive skills.

2. concerned with the carrying out of laws etc. executive powers.

noun

1. the branch of the government that puts the laws into effect.

2. a person or body of people in an organization etc that has power to direct or manage. He is an executive in an insurance company.

executor (igˈzekjutə) noun

a person appointed to see to the carrying out of what is stated in a will. His two brothers are the executors of his will.

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References in classic literature ?

`I'll fetch the executioner myself,' said the King eagerly, and he hurried off.

When she got back to the Cheshire Cat, she was surprised to find quite a large crowd collected round it: there was a dispute going on between the executioner, the King, and the Queen, who were all talking at once, while all the rest were quite silent, and looked very uncomfortable.

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"Then, addressing the man who accompanied him, 'Executioner,' said he, 'do your duty.'"

"Then in spite of my cries, in spite of my resistance--for I began to comprehend that there was a question of something worse than death--the executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, fastened me with his bonds, and suffocated by sobs, almost without sense, invoking God, who did not listen to me, I uttered all at once a frightful cry of pain and shame.

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"Truly," cried the host, "misfortune is coming on our house; it is the former executioner of Bethune."

"The former executioner of Bethune!" murmured the young monk, shrinking back and showing on his countenance the feeling of repugnance which his penitent inspired.

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A gleam like that of lightning passed across the scaffold: it was the executioner raising his sword.

Neither of his enemies, nor of his judges, nor of his executioners.

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He shut me up in a large case and ordered his executioner to carry me into a desert place, to cut off my head, and then to abandon my body to the birds of prey.

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"But," said Franz to the count, "with this theory, which renders you at once judge and executioner of your own cause, it would be difficult to adopt a course that would forever prevent your falling under the power of the law.

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"Very well," said the Magistrate, putting on the black cap and a solemn look; "as the accused makes no defence, and is undoubtedly guilty, I sentence her to be eaten by the public executioner; and as that position happens to be vacant, I appoint you to it, without bonds."

View in context

The table around which they had sat was there still, and likewise the stations where the masked inquisitors and executioners formerly stood, frozen, upright and silent, till they received a bloody order, and then, without a word, moved off like the inexorable machines they were, to carry it out.