Defn: One of several northern sea birds, allied to the auks. They have short legs, placed far back, and are expert divers and swimmers.
Note: The common guillemots, or murres, belong to the genus Uria (as
U. troile); the black or foolish guillemot (Cepphus grylle, formerly
Uria grylle), is called also sea pigeon and eligny. See Murre.
GUILLEVAT Guil`le*vat" [], n. Etym: [F. guilloire (fr. guiller to work, ferment)+ E. vat.]
Defn: A vat for fermenting liquors.
GUILLOCHE Guil"loche`, n. Etym: [F. guillochis; — said to be fr. Guillot, the inventor of a machine for carving it.] (Arch.)
Defn: An ornament in the form of two or more bands or strings twisted over each other in a continued series, leaving circular openings which are filled with round ornaments.
GUILLOCHED
Guil*loched", a.
Defn: Waved or engine-turned. Mollett.
GUILLOTINE Guil"lo*tine`, n. Etym: [F., from Guillotin, a French physician, who proposed, in the Constituent Assembly of 1789, to abolish decapitation with the ax or sword. The instrument was invented by Dr. Antoine Louis, and was called at first Louison or Louisette. Similar machines, however, were known earlier.]
1. A machine for beheading a person by one stroke of a heavy ax or blade, which slides in vertical guides, is raised by a cord, and let fall upon the neck of the victim.