noun

guillotine

A grappling chokehold made by encircling an opponent's neck with an arm.

The grappler traps his opponent's neck in a tight guillotine.

Etymology

The hold borrows the name of the execution device. The comparison centers on enclosing the neck, giving the grappling technique a dramatic name.

More examples

  • She escapes the guillotine and regains her balance.
  • He wins the match with a guillotine.
  • The coach reviews common defenses against guillotines.

Forms

guillotine · guillotines

Similar words

chokehold
A broader term covering holds that apply pressure to the neck.