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Definition of 'draw and quarter'

draw and quarter in British

to disembowel and dismember (a person) after hanging
draw
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

draw and quarter in American

Medieval
1. 
to execute by tying each arm and leg to a different horse, and then driving the horses in four different directions
2. 
to eviscerate and cut into pieces after hanging
draw
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Example sentences containing 'draw and quarter'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
His famous ancestor was hanged, drawn and quartered for treason after the plot failed. The Sun (2013)Men were hanged, drawn and quartered and women burnt for conning the Mint. The Sun (2015)All three were hanged, drawn and quartered on their return to England. Times, Sunday Times (2012)

Nearby words of 'draw and quarter'

  • draw a line
  • draw a line in the sand
  • draw a pension
  • draw and quarter
  • draw away
  • draw back
  • draw close/draw near

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'D'

Source

Definition of draw and quarter from the Collins English Dictionary

Reporting speech

There are two ways of writing down or reporting what was said on any occasion. We can repeat the actual words used( direct speech), Monica said, ‘There’s nothing we can do about it.’ or we can buil...
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