1. a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals.Similargibbetscaffoldarchaic:gallow-treeGregorian treederrickthree-legged marenubbing cheatnubarchaic, informal:leafless treetriple treeTyburn tree
▪ execution by hanging:"he was saved from the gallows by a last-minute reprieve"Similarhangingbeing hangedthe noosethe ropethe gibbetthe scaffoldthe death penaltyexecutionbeing executedinformal:the dropbeing strung up
Word OriginOld Englishgalga, gealga, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch galg and German Galgen; reinforced in Middle English by Old Norse gálgi.