# short sharp shock

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A regime intended to deter crime by making an immediate severe impact.

## Etymology
Coined by W. S. Gilbert in the song "I Am So Proud" from The Mikado, referring euphemistically to a beheading.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/short-sharp-shock