Word Study
mayhem
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun mayhem has 2 senses
- mayhem(n = noun.act) Array - the willful and unlawful crippling or mutilation of another person; Array is a kind of crime, criminal offence, criminal offense, law-breaking, offence, offense
- mayhem(n = noun.act) havoc - violent and needless disturbance; Array is a kind of disturbance
OXFORD DICTIONARY
mayhem, n.
1 violent or damaging action.
2 hist. the crime of maiming a person so as to render him or her partly or wholly defenceless.
1 violent or damaging action.
2 hist. the crime of maiming a person so as to render him or her partly or wholly defenceless.
Etymology
AF mahem, OF mayhem (as MAIM)
THESAURUS
mayhem
bankruptcy, breakage, breakdown, chaos, collapse, commotion, confusion, crack-up, cripple, crippling, damage, destruction, detriment, devastation, dilapidation, disablement, dismember, disorder, disrepair, encroachment, fracas, harm, havoc, hobbling, hurt, hurting, impairment, incapacitation, infringement, injury, inroad, loss, maiming, mischief, mutilate, mutilation, ruination, ruinousness, sabotage, scathe, sickening, spoiling, violence, weakening
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