break upon the wheel

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Verb

break upon the wheel (third-person singular simple present breaks upon the wheel, present participle breaking upon the wheel, simple past broke upon the wheel, past participle broken upon the wheel)

1. To execute using a breaking wheel.
   • 2006, Roger Ekirch, At Day's Close, page 63:

     For his rapacity, the guardsman was broken upon the wheel.