Hangman

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An executioner responsible for hanging criminals. countable

    "One cried, "God bless us!" and "Amen" the other, As they had seen me with these hangman's hands."

  2. 2
    a male executioner who hangs the condemned person wordnet
  3. 3
    Someone responsible for hanging pictures and other artworks in a gallery, museum etc. countable, uncountable

    "I also asked some Royal Academicians to view it, viz. Northcote, Cosway, &c. who approved of it much: it is well composed, and beautifully coloured; but the hangmen at the Exhibition have not hung it in a conspicuous situation; it is placed in an ante-room, and pretty high […]."

  4. 4
    A guessing game where one has to guess the word an opponent is thinking of by guessing one letter at a time, and involving the gradual drawing of a stick figure hanging from the gallows. uncountable

Etymology

From Middle English hangman, hongman, hangeman, equivalent to hang + -man.

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