Garrote

/ɡəˈroʊt/ noun, verb

Definition

To execute or kill by strangulation with a cord or wire; also the device or method used for this purpose.

Etymology

From Spanish 'garrote,' possibly from Basque or Celtic languages. It entered English in the 1700s-1800s as a term describing both Spanish judicial execution and criminal violence.

Kelly Says

The garrote became infamous partly through crime literature—in Victorian times, there were 'garroting panics' in London where newspapers reported criminals using this technique for robbery, causing public fear similar to modern crime waves.

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