Gallows and Gibbet
Preserved but no longer current.
We are told in the book of Esther that Haman devised a gallows 50 cubits high on which to hang Mordecai, by way of commencing the extirpation of the Jews; but the favourite of Ahasuerus was himself hanged thereon. We have a repetition of this incident in the case of Enguerrand de Marigni,.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Gallows and Gibbet” mean?
We are told in the book of Esther that Haman devised a gallows 50 cubits high on which to hang Mordecai, by way of commencing the extirpation of the Jews; but the favourite of Ahasuerus was himself hanged thereon. We have a repetition of this incident in the case of Enguerrand de Marigni,.
Is “Gallows and Gibbet” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.