hangman

Inherited from Middle English hangman, hongman, hangeman, equivalent to hang +‎ -man.

• (without æ-raising) IPA^(key): /ˈhæŋˌmæn/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

    • (æ-raising) IPA^(key): /ˈheɪ̯ŋˌmeə̯n/, /ˈhɛ̃ŋˌmɛə̯n/
• Hyphenation: hang‧man

hangman (countable and uncountable, plural hangmen)

2. (countable) An executioner responsible for hanging criminals.
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     One cried, "God bless us!" and "Amen" the other,
     As they had seen me with these hangman's hands.

4. Someone responsible for hanging pictures and other artworks in a gallery, museum etc.
   • 1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 213:

     I also asked some Royal Academicians to view it, viz. Northcote, Cosway, &c. who approved of it much: it is well composed, and beautifully coloured; but the hangmen at the Exhibition have not hung it in a conspicuous situation; it is placed in an ante-room, and pretty high […] .

6. (uncountable, games) A guessing game where one has to guess the word an opponent is thinking of by guessing one letter at a time, and involving the gradual drawing of a stick figure hanging from the gallows.