scapegallows (?ske?p??æl??z) n1. (Law) a criminal who escapes death by hanging or the gallows2. (Historical Terms) a criminal who escapes death by hanging or the gallowsCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014