Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A regime intended to deter crime by making an immediate severe impact.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Coined by W. S. Gilbert in the song "I Am So Proud" from The Mikado, referring euphemistically to a beheading.
