Antedating of "Guillotine"

[Fred Shapiro]

guillotine (OED 1793)

1790 Ireland. Parliament. House of Commons. Debates on Mr. Ponsonbys
motion for a parliamentary reform. 9 (Eighteenth Century Collections
Online)  They have added the force of enthusiasm to the fury of an unholy
war; a sort of anti-crusade, in which they bear the guillotine against the
cross.

Fred Shapiro


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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
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