Etymology

Colombian necktie

Today it means: A method of execution in which the victim’s throat is slashed vertically, then his tongue is pulled out through the gaping wound toward the sternum, after which the victim usually dies of asphyxiation or blood loss. Full definition →

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The story

First attested in 1981: Colombian, from its frequent use as a method of intimidation during La Violencia (circa 1948–1958) + necktie, from the resulting macabre resemblance of the victim's tongue to that of a necktie as it dangles over the chest.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.