gallows-ripe
Definition
- Adjective:
- Dating from the 16th-17th centuries: "gallows-ripe" describes a person who is considered fit or deserving to be hanged on the gallows. It implies that the individual's actions or character are so wicked or criminal that execution by hanging is the appropriate punishment.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The judge declared the outlaw gallows-ripe after his string of violent robberies. (The judge said the outlaw deserved to be hanged.)
- In the eyes of the townspeople, the traitor was gallows-ripe for betraying the village to the enemy. (The townspeople believed the traitor deserved execution by hanging.)
Advanced Usage
"to be deemed gallows-ripe": to be formally judged as deserving of hanging.
- The pirate captain was deemed gallows-ripe by the admiralty court. (The court decided the pirate deserved hanging.)
"gallows-ripe villain": a phrase used to emphasize extreme criminality.
- The gallows-ripe villain showed no remorse for his crimes. (The villain was so evil that hanging was the only fitting punishment.)
Variants and Related Words
Gallows (noun): a structure used for execution by hanging.
- The gallows stood in the town square as a grim reminder of justice. (The hanging structure was a symbol of punishment.)
Ripe (adjective): ready for a particular purpose or action.
- The fruit is ripe for picking. (The fruit is ready to be harvested.)
Synonyms
- Condemned: officially sentenced to death.
- Deserving of death: meriting execution.
Related Idioms
Gallows humor: humor that treats serious, frightening, or painful topics in a lighthearted way.
- The prisoner's gallows humor made the guards uneasy. (The prisoner joked about his own execution.)
Ripe for the gallows: a synonym for "gallows-ripe".
- The outlaw was ripe for the gallows after his many crimes. (He was ready to be hanged.)
Note on Usage
This word is archaic and primarily found in historical or literary contexts. It is not used in modern everyday English.