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   kill

   /kɪl/

   verb

   • 1. cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing): "her father was killed in a car crash" Similar murdercause the death oftake/end the life ofdo away withmake away withassassinatedo to deatheliminateterminatedispatchfinish offput to deathexecuteslaughterbutchermassacrewipe outdestroyannihilateeraseeradicateexterminateextirpatedecimatemow downshoot downcut downcut to piecesput downput to sleepinformal:bump offpolish offdo indo forknock offtoptake outcroakstiffblow awayliquidatedispose oficeoffrub outwastewhackscragsmokeliterary:slay
   • ▪ get rid of or destroy completely, especially in large numbers: "there is every possibility all river life would be killed off for generations"
   • ▪ (of a writer) bring about the 'death' of a fictional character.
   • ▪ (of an animal) yield (a specified amount of meat) when slaughtered: "the lambs kill out at 20 kg deadweight"
   • 2. put an end to or cause the failure or defeat of (something): "two fast goals from Dublin killed any hopes of a famous Sligo victory" Similar destroyput an end tobring to an endbe the end ofendextinguishdashquellquashruinwreckshattersmashcrushscotchstopblockfrustratethwartput a stop topreventdefeatderailinformal:put paid todo forput the lid onput the kibosh onstymiequeerscupperdishvetodefeatvote downrule againstrejectthrow outoverrulestopblockput a stop toput an end toquashoverturndisallowinformal:give the thumbs down tosquashOpposite facilitatepassaccept
   • ▪ stop (a computer program or process).
   • ▪ switch off (a light or engine). informal Similar turn offswitch offstopstop workingshut offshut downcutcut outdeactivateput outturn outextinguishOpposite start
   • ▪ delete (a line, paragraph, or file) from a document or computer. informal Similar deletewipe outeraseremovedestroyrub outcut outcutcancelget rid ofexpungeobliterateeliminateinformal:zap
   • ▪ (in soccer or other ball games) make (the ball) stop: "after killing the ball with his chest, he brushed past Reeves"
   • ▪ hit (the ball) so that it cannot be returned.
   • ▪ neutralize or subdue (an effect or quality): "the sauce would kill the taste of the herbs" Similar muffledeadenstifledampendamp downsmotherreducediminishdecreasesuppressabatetone downmoderatesilencemutestillsoftenquellquieten downquiet downalleviateassuagesootheallaytake the edge offmitigatedullbluntmaskdeadenstiflesuppresssubdueweakenabatequellget rid ofput an end toOpposite amplifyintensify
   • ▪ consume the entire contents of (a bottle containing an alcoholic drink): informal "I killed a rather good bottle of Fleurie"
   • 3. overwhelm (someone) with an emotion: informal "the suspense is killing me" Similar overwhelmtake someone's breath awayleave speechlessshakemovestirstunamazeastonishstaggerdumbfoundinformal:bowl overblow awayknock sidewaysblow someone's mindknock for sixflabbergast
   • ▪ overexert oneself: "I killed myself carrying those things home" Similar exhaustwear outtire outovertaxovertirefatiguewearysapdraintaxstraindebilitateenervateprostrateinformal:knock outfag outshatterknackerOpposite refreshrevitalize
   • ▪ used hyperbolically to indicate that someone will be extremely angry with (another person): "my boss will kill me for saying this"
   • ▪ cause pain or anguish to: "my feet are killing me" Similar hurtgive pain tocause pain tocause agony topaintorturetormentcause discomfort tobe agonizingbe excruciatingbe painfulbe sorebe uncomfortable
   • 4. pass (time, or a specified amount of it), typically while waiting for a particular event: "when he reached the station he found he actually had an hour to kill" Similar while awayuse upfill upfill infilloccupybeguilepassspendexpendfritter awaywaste

   noun

   • 1. an act of killing, especially of one animal by another: "a lion has made a kill" Similar death blowkillingact of killingdispatchconclusionendingfinishendclimaxcoup de grâce
   • ▪ an animal or animals killed: "the vulture is able to survey the land and locate a fresh kill" Similar preyquarryvictimbag
   • ▪ an act of destroying or disabling an enemy aircraft, submarine, etc.: "the engagement resulted in fifty-one tank kills" Similar death blowkillingact of killingdispatchconclusionendingfinishendclimaxcoup de grâce

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘strike, beat’, also ‘put to death’): probably of Germanic origin and related to quell. The noun originally denoted a stroke or blow.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • K

     5

   • I

     1

   • L

     1

   • L

     1

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