decapitation

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See also: décapitation

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

From French décapitation.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/, /diˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈdi.kæp.əˌteɪ.ʃən/, /ˈdi.kæp.əˌteɪ.ʃɪn/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

decapitation (countable and uncountable, plural decapitations)

  1. Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating.
    If the headsman's axe was sharp and his aim was true, decapitation was a quick and relatively painless form of death.
  2. The ousting or destruction of the ruling body of a government or other organization.
    A decapitation strike carried out by drone killed many of the country's senior generals.
  3. (politics) The unseating of a senior politician.
    The decapitation of the Foreign Secretary was a significant publicity coup for the opposition.
    • 2005, Simon Henig, Lewis Baston, Politico's Guide to the General Election 2005, page 223:
      The Lib Dem contender hoping to accomplish a bit of pre-emptive decapitation is Andrew Crawford.
    • 2009 May 1, Andrew Denham, Kieron O'Hara, Democratising Conservative leadership selection: from grey suits to grass roots, page 108:
      Some also thought that the Lib Dem decapitation strategy had kept him cornered in his constituency during the campaign, unable to play a wider role.
    • 2010 May 7, Oliver Burkeman, “UK election results 2010: A war of words deep into the night”, in The Guardian‎:
      Nearing 2.30, stoking fears of a disastrous night for the Lib Dems, the Tories achieved their first "decapitation" ‑ a visibly shocked Lembit Opik, in once-safe Montgomeryshire ‑ while evading their own biggest risk of high-profile embarrassment: Oliver Letwin held Dorset West.

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