gallows
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Or GALLUS, very, or exceedingly—an unpleasant exclamation; "GALLOWS poor," very poor. Term originally applied to anything bad enough to deserve hanging.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “gallows” mean?
Or GALLUS, very, or exceedingly—an unpleasant exclamation; "GALLOWS poor," very poor. Term originally applied to anything bad enough to deserve hanging.
Is “gallows” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.