μασχαλίζω

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, EM 118.29, *574.202, etc.