- kill
- kill1 W1S1 [kıl] v▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(make somebody/something die)¦2 kill yourself3¦(make something stop/fail)¦4¦(be angry with somebody)¦5¦(annoyed/sad)¦6 would/could kill for something7 my head/back etc is killing me8 kill time/an hour etc9 kill a beer/bottle of wine etc10¦(make somebody laugh)¦11 it won't/wouldn't kill somebody (to do something)12 (even) if it kills me13 kill two birds with one stone14 kill the goose that lays the golden egg15 kill the fatted calf16 kill somebody with kindness17 kill or curePhrasal verbskill something<=>off▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Probably from an unrecorded Old English cyllan]1.) ¦(MAKE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING DIE)¦ [I and T]to make a person or animal die▪ Why did she kill her husband?▪ Murray held a gun to his head and threatened to kill him.▪ Four people were killed when a train plunged into a flooded river.be killed instantly/outright(=immediately)▪ The driver was killed instantly.▪ Bleach kills household germs.▪ Smoking kills.2.) kill yourselfa) to cause your own death▪ You're going to kill yourself on that bike.▪ After her husband died, Mary tried to kill herself.b) to work very hard to achieve something in a way that makes you ill or tired▪ It's not worth killing yourself over it.kill yourself to do sth▪ He about killed himself to make the business go.3.) ¦(MAKE SOMETHING STOP/FAIL)¦ [T]to make something stop operating or fail▪ Joe pulled in and killed the engine.▪ The out-of-town shopping centre will kill local trade.kill your speed(=drive slowly)4.) ¦(BE ANGRY WITH SOMEBODY)¦ [T] informalto be very angry with someone▪ Mom will kill me if I'm late.5.) ¦(ANNOYED/SAD)¦ [T]to make someone feel annoyed, sad, concerned etcit kills sb to do sth▪ It kills me to see him working so hard.▪ What happened next? The suspense is killing me .6.) would/could kill for sth also would kill to do sthto want something so much that you will do almost anything to get it or do it▪ I could kill for a smoke right now.▪ In those days, actors would kill to break into film.7.) my head/back etc is killing mespoken used to say that a part of your body is hurting a lot▪ I've walked miles and my feet are killing me.8.) kill time/an hour etcto spend time doing something which is not important while you are waiting to do something important or waiting for something else to happen▪ With time to kill, he took a cab to the centre.9.) kill a beer/bottle of wine etcspoken to drink or finish drinking a beer etc quickly▪ Let's kill these beers and go.10.)¦(MAKE SOMEBODY LAUGH)¦ [T]to make someone laugh a lotkill yourself laughing▪ They weren't bothered -- in fact they were killing themselves laughing.11.) it won't/wouldn't kill sb (to do sth)spoken used to say that someone could easily do something, and ought to do it▪ It wouldn't kill you to help out once in a while.12.) (even) if it kills mespoken used to emphasize that you are determined to do something even though it is very difficult▪ I'm completing this course, even if it kills me.13.) kill two birds with one stoneto achieve two things with one action14.) kill the goose that lays the golden eggto destroy the thing that brings you profit or success15.) kill the fatted calfto welcome someone home with a big meal etc after they have been away for a long time16.) kill sb with kindnessto be too kind to someone, in a way that actually harms them17.) kill or cureused to say that something you are going to do will be either successful or fail completelykill off [kill sth<=>off] phr v1.) to cause the death of a lot of living things= ↑destroy▪ Pollution is rapidly killing off plant life.2.) to stop or remove something completely= ↑destroy▪ These figures kill off any hope that the economy is poised for recovery.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬WORD CHOICE: kill, murder, execute, put to death, kill yourself, commit suicide, slaughter, massacre, assassinateThere are many different words meaning to kill someone. Kill is the most general : He says he did not mean to kill his wife. | Thousands of Russian soldiers were killed in the war.Use murder to talk about deliberately killing someone, especially after planning to do it : He is charged with murdering a policeman.When you are talking about killing someone as a punishment for a crime, use execute or put someone to death : He was executed by a firing squad. | the first person to be put to death in San Quentin jailIf someone deliberately causes their own death, say that they commit suicide or that someone kills himself or herself : the feeling of hopelessness that led him to commit suicide, |It was not the first time she had tried to kill herself.Slaughter and massacre mean to violently kill a large number of people who cannot defend themselves. These words are used mainly in writing or journalism : Hundreds of innocent civilians were slaughtered. | Soldiers massacred 900 men, women, and children in the village.Use assassinate to talk about killing an important person, especially a politician : J.F.Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬kill 2kill2 n1.) [C usually singular]the act of killing a hunted animal▪ He raised his knife for the kill.2.) move in/close in for the killto come closer to something in order to kill, defeat, or destroy it▪ Enemy submarines were moving in for the kill.3.) [singular]an animal that is killed by another animal▪ The cubs will share the remains of the kill.
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.