Mayhem is the violently depriving another of the use of such of his members as may render him the less able in fighting either to defend himself or to annoy his adversary.140 But under many statutory definitions the common law has been enlarged in its scope so as to include any disfigurement of the person.

Thus the biting or cutting off of a man's ear or disfigurement of his nose or the like, do not constitute mayhem at common law,141 but such offenses are mayhem under statutory descriptions of that crime.

One statutory definition is as follows: Every person from premeditated design evinced by lying in wait for the purpose, or in any other manner with intent to kill or commit any felony, who shall cut out or disable the tongue or put out an eye, or shall slit the lips or destroy the nose, or cut off or disable any limb or other member of another, on purpose, shall be guilty of mayhem.142