Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A method of execution formerly practiced in Spain, in which a tightened iron collar is used to strangle or break the neck of a condemned person.
  • noun The iron collar used for such an execution.
  • noun Strangulation, especially in order to rob.
  • noun A cord or wire used for strangling.
  • transitive verb To execute by garrote.
  • transitive verb To strangle in order to rob.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A mode of capital punishment practised in Spain and Portugal, formerly by simple strangulation.
  • noun The instrument by means of which this punishment is inflicted.
  • noun Strangulation by any means used in imitation of the garrote, and especially as a means of robbery. See garroting.
  • To put to death by means of the garrote.—2. To strangle so as to render insensible or helpless, generally for the purpose of robbery. See garroting.
  • To cheat in card-playing by concealing certain cards at the back of the neck: a mode of cheating practised among card-sharpers.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A Spanish mode of execution by strangulation, with an iron collar affixed to a post and tightened by a screw until life become extinct.
  • noun The instrument by means of which the garrote{1} is inflicted.
  • noun A short length of rope or other instrument used to strangle a person.
  • transitive verb To strangle with the garrote; hence, to seize by the throat, from behind, with a view to strangle and rob.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun an iron collar formerly used in Spain to execute people by strangulation
  • noun something, especially a cord or wire, used for strangulation
  • verb transitive to execute by strangulation
  • verb transitive to kill using a garrote

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an instrument of execution for execution by strangulation
  • verb strangle with an iron collar

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Spanish, cudgel, instrument of torture, possibly from Old French garrot, perhaps from garoquier, to struggle.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Spanish garrote

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