gibet

gallows

noun zhee-BEH Rare

Usage Note

gibet refers to a gallows or gibbet — the wooden structure used for public executions by hanging. The final 't' is silent. In figurative or literary language, mener quelqu'un au gibet means 'to send someone to the gallows'. It appears frequently in medieval historical texts and classic French literature.

Examples

"Le condamné marchait vers le gibet."

Natural Translation

The condemned man walked toward the gallows.

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