Dictionary

hangman en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈheɪ̯ŋˌmeə̯n/ æ-raising
• /ˈhɛ̃ŋˌmɛə̯n/ æ-raising
• /ˈhæŋˌmæn/ without æ-raising

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (countable) An executioner responsible for hanging criminals.
   • One cried, "God bless us!" and "Amen" the other, As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
2. (countable, uncountable) Someone responsible for hanging pictures and other artworks in a gallery, museum etc.
   • 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 […]. 1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 213:
3. (uncountable) 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.

Forms

Deriveds

hangmanship · hangman's jig · hangman's noose · hangman's fracture · cheat the hangman · underhangman · hangwoman · hangman's wages · hangman paradox

Relateds

hanging · hangman's noose

Translations (75)

ro spânzurătoarea (game) · az cəllad (executioner) · hu akasztófa (game) · es verdugo (executioner) · fi pyöveli (executioner) · gl buxeu (executioner) · ga crochadóir (game) · es ahorcado (game) · nb bøddel (executioner) · ro gâde (executioner) · uk кат (executioner) · hi जल्लाद (executioner) · tr cellat (executioner) · de Henker (executioner) · az başkəsən (executioner) · pt enforcador (executioner) · fy boal (executioner) · it carnefice (executioner) · ar جَلَّاد (executioner) · sv hänga gubbe (game) · bg палач (executioner) · ja 死刑執行人 (executioner) · ru ве́шатель (executioner) · mk па́лач (executioner) · it boia (executioner) · hu hóhér (executioner) · mk бе́сач (executioner) · yi תּליון (executioner) · is hengimann (game) · de Galgenmännchen (game) · el δήμιος (executioner) · hy դահիճ (executioner) · tr adam asmaca (game) · mk гла́восек (executioner) · pl wisielec (game) · es ahorcador (executioner) · fa دژخیم (executioner) · fy galchje (game) · sv bödel (executioner) · ko 교수형 집행인 (executioner) · cs šibenice (game) · mk по́губник (executioner) · pt jogo da forca (game) · nl galgje (game) · et timukas (executioner) · ml കുലക്കാരൻ (executioner) · fi hirsipuu (game) · cmn 劊子手 /刽子手 (executioner) · ro gealat (executioner) · ru ви́селица (game) · el κρεμάλα (game) · ca penjat (game) · bg бесеница (game) · de Hängemännchen (game) · kum жаллат (executioner) · ga crochadóir (executioner) · fr bourrelle (executioner) · mk гла́ворез (executioner) · cy crogwr (executioner) · nrf pendard (executioner) · nl beul (executioner) · pl kat (executioner) · fr pendu (game) · gl verdugo (executioner) · da bøddel (executioner) · es colgado (game) · mk бе́силка (game) · ru пала́ч (executioner) · mk џе́лат (executioner) · fi hirttäjä (executioner) · tl tagabitay (executioner) · ml ആരാച്ചാർ (executioner) · tl mambibitay (executioner) · fr bourreau (executioner) · ro călău (executioner)