drawn and quartered
Medieval traitor's fate
Drawn and quartered describes a method of execution for treason in medieval England: the condemned was hanged until nearly dead, disemboweled (drawn), then cut into four pieces (quartered).
The phrase now appears hyperbolically for severe punishment or criticism: My boss will have me drawn and quartered if I miss this deadline.
Betraying one's nation
- hangingExecution by noose
- disembowelmentRemoval of intestines
- beheadingRemoval of head
- regicideMurdering a monarch
scaffold · executioner · public execution · Tower of London · gallows · high treason · dismemberment · sentence
Scottish independence fighter
- Gunpowder PlotCatholic conspiracy against James
- English lawBritain's judicial system
- BraveheartMedieval Scottish rebel
- ScottishOf that northern kingdom
Guy Fawkes · rebellion · plotters · conspirators · heresy · attainder · crown · monarchy
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewsDigit-crushing interrogation tool
- iron maidenSpike-lined torture cabinet
- dungeonSubterranean prison chamber
- flayingRemoving skin from body
gibbet · pillory · stocks · branding · prolonged · agony · suffering · horses
Expressed disapproval of
- torn apartForcibly separated into pieces
- attackedActed aggressively against
- destroyedMade to cease existing
- humiliatedMade to feel worthless
savaged · eviscerated · lambasted · excoriated · demolished · ripped apart · decimated · annihilated
treason
Betraying one's nation
- hangingExecution by noose
- disembowelmentRemoval of intestines
- beheadingRemoval of head
regicide · scaffold · executioner · public execution · Tower of London · gallows · high treason · dismemberment · sentence · condemned
William Wallace
Scottish independence fighter
- Gunpowder PlotCatholic conspiracy against James
- English lawBritain's judicial system
- BraveheartMedieval Scottish rebel
Guy Fawkes · Scottish · rebellion · plotters · conspirators · heresy · attainder · crown · monarchy · sedition
rack
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewsDigit-crushing interrogation tool
- iron maidenSpike-lined torture cabinet
- dungeonSubterranean prison chamber
flaying · gibbet · pillory · stocks · branding · prolonged · agony · suffering · horses · ropes
criticized
Expressed disapproval of
- torn apartForcibly separated into pieces
- attackedActed aggressively against
- destroyedMade to cease existing
humiliated · savaged · eviscerated · lambasted · excoriated · demolished · ripped apart · decimated · annihilated · skewered
- medieval justicetrial by combat, trial by ordeal, trial by fire, trial by jury, ordeal
- executionsexecution, execution chamber, hanging, guillotine, executioner
- torturerack, the rack, thumbscrew, thumbscrews, iron maiden
- Inquisitioninquisition, heretic, inquisitors, heretics, heresy trial
- punishmentsjail, prison, timeout, grounded, fine
drawn and quarteredlethal injection
Capital punishment by needle
peaceful death · euthanasia · quick death · natural death · instant death
drawn and quarteredpardoned
Formally forgiven for offense
honored · forgiven · exonerated · spared · celebrated
drawn, drawing, drawer, drawers, quarter, quartered, quarters, quartering, quarterly