French edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old French esquarterer, with dissimilation. Related to quartier.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /e.kaʁ.tə.le/
  • (file)

Verb edit

écarteler

  1. (transitive) to draw and quarter (to execute by pulling the victim's limbs in different directions; to pull a body apart by the four limbs)
    Near-synonym: démembrer
  2. (heraldry) to divide a shield into four parts

Conjugation edit

This verb is conjugated like parler, except the -e- /ə/ of the second-to-last syllable becomes -è- /ɛ/ when the next vowel is a silent or schwa -e-, as in the third-person singular present indicative il écartèle and the third-person singular future indicative il écartèlera.

Derived terms edit

See also edit

Further reading edit