A garrote, also spelled garotte, is a weapon used to strangle a person. It is usually a handheld ligature made of chain, rope, scarf, wire, or fishing line. The garrote can be made of different materials, including ropes, cloth, cable ties, fishing lines, nylon, guitar strings, telephone cord, or piano wire. A stick may be used to tighten the garrote; the Spanish word refers to the stick itself. The garrote has been used throughout history as a means of execution, torture, and assassination. In one form, it consists of an iron collar attached to a post. The victims neck is placed in the collar, and the collar is slowly tightened by a screw until asphyxiation occurs. Another form of garrote is a length of wire with wooden handles at the ends, held by the executioner. Since World War II, the garrote has been regularly employed as a weapon by soldiers as a silent means of killing sentries and other enemy personnel.