Meaning
gallows, scaffold
- scaffold or gallows for capital punishment
- harsh public condemnation or ordeal (figurative)
In a sentence
Il prigioniero fu condotto al patibolo all'alba.
The prisoner was led to the scaffold at dawn.
Nessun indagato dovrebbe essere mandato al patibolo mediatico prima del processo.
No suspect should be subjected to trial by media before the actual trial.
Salì sul patibolo con dignità e a testa alta.
He walked up to the scaffold with dignity and his head held high.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| patibolo | masculine · singular |
| patiboli | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Literary and historical in its literal sense.
- Frequently used metaphorically: 'patibolo mediatico' refers to a trial by media.