μασχαλίζω

English (LSJ)

   A put under the arm-pits: hence, mutilate a corpse, since murderers believed that by cutting off the extremities (nose, ears, etc.), stringing them together, and passing the string round the neck and under the arm-pits of the victim they would avert vengeance, A.Ch.439 (lyr., Pass.), S.El.445 (Pass.), cf. Ar.Byz. ap. Phot., Suid. s.v. μασχαλίσματα, EM118.29, *574.202, etc.

Greek (Liddell-Scott)

μασχᾰλίζω: (μασχάλη) θέτω ὑπὸ τὰς μασχάλας· ἐντεῦθεν, ἀκρωτηριάζω πτῶμα, ἐπειδὴ οἱ δολοφόνοι ἐνόμιζον ὅτι ἐὰν ἀποκόψαντες τὰ ἄκρα τοῦ θύματός των ἐτοποθέτουν αὐτὰ ὑπὸ τὰς μασχάλας ἤθελον ἀποφύγει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν, Αἰσχύλ. Χο. 439, Σοφ. Ἠλ. 445, Ἀπολ. Ροδ. Δ. 447· καὶ ἴδε ἀκρωτηριάζω. ― Παρ’ Ἡσυχ. καὶ μασχαλίττω (ἀντίγραφ. -ήττω).