kill

[ kil ]

/ kɪl /

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See synonyms for kill on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to deprive of life in any manner; cause the death of; slay.

to destroy; extinguish; do away with: His response killed our hopes.

to destroy or neutralize the active qualities of: to kill an odor.

to spoil the effect of: His extra brushwork killed the painting.

to cause (time) to be consumed with seeming rapidity or with a minimum of boredom, especially by engaging in some easy activity or amusement of passing interest: I had to kill three hours before plane time.

to spend (time) unprofitably: He killed ten good years on that job.

Informal. to overcome completely or with irresistible effect: That comedian kills me.

to muffle or deaden: This carpet kills the sound of footsteps.

Informal. to cause distress or discomfort to: These new shoes are killing me.

Informal. to tire completely; exhaust: The long hike killed us.

Informal. to consume completely: They killed a bottle of bourbon between them.

to cancel publication of (a word, paragraph, item, etc.), especially after it has been set in type.

to defeat or veto (a legislative bill, etc.).

Electricity. to render (a circuit) dead.

to stop the operation of (machinery, engines, etc.): He killed the motor and the car stopped.

Tennis. to hit (a ball) with such force that its return is impossible.

Metallurgy.

to deoxidize (steel) before teeming into an ingot mold.
to eliminate springiness from (wire or the like).
to cold-roll (sheet metal) after final heat treatment in order to eliminate distortion.

Ice Hockey. to prevent the opposing team from scoring in the course of (a penalty being served by a teammate or teammates).

verb (used without object)

to inflict or cause death.

to commit murder.

to be killed.

to overcome completely; produce an irresistible effect: dressed to kill.

Slang. to feel a smarting pain, as from a minor accident; sting: I stubbed my little toe and that really kills.

noun

the act of killing, especially game: The hounds moved in for the kill.

an animal or animals killed.

a number or quantity killed.

an act or instance of hitting or destroying a target, especially an enemy aircraft.

the target so hit or, especially, destroyed.

Sports. kill shot.

Verb Phrases

kill off,

to destroy completely; kill, especially successively or indiscriminately: The invaders killed off all the inhabitants of the town.
Informal. to extinguish; eliminate: The bus ride every day kills off all of my energy.

OTHER WORDS FOR kill

1 slaughter, massacre, butcher; hang, electrocute, behead, guillotine, strangle, garrote; assassinate.

See synonyms for kill on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about kill

kill with kindness, to overdo in one's efforts to be kind: The aunts would kill their nephews and nieces with kindness.

Origin of kill

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English cullen, killen, kelle “to strike, beat, kill,” Old English cyllan (unattested); cognate with dialectal German küllen (Westphalian). Cf. quell

synonym study for kill

1. Kill, execute, murder all mean to deprive of life. Kill is the general word, with no implication of the manner of killing, the agent or cause, or the nature of what is killed (whether human being, animal, or plant): to kill a person. Execute is used with reference to the putting to death of one in accordance with a legal sentence, no matter what the means are: to execute a criminal. Murder is used of killing a human being unlawfully: He murdered him for his money.

OTHER WORDS FROM kill

kill·a·ble, adjectiveself-killed, adjectiveun·killed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH kill

1. kill , kiln2. execute, kill , murder (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words nearby kill

kilij, kilim, Kilimanjaro, Kilkenny, Kilkenny cats, kill, Killarney, killdee, killdeer, killed, Killeen

Other definitions for kill (2 of 2)

kill²

[ kil ]

/ kɪl /

noun Chiefly New York State.

a channel; creek; stream; river: used especially in placenames: Kill Van Kull.

Origin of kill

An Americanism first recorded in 1660–70; from Dutch kil, Middle Dutch kille “channel”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use kill in a sentence

Warren first began thinking about how brands and gamers overlap in 2011, when he started a gaming-focused media company called Kill Screen.
Why new agencies are trying to capitalize on the online gaming boom|jim cooper|February 12, 2021|Digiday
As the coronavirus continues to infect millions and kill hundreds of thousands in the United States, returning kids to their scholastic normalcy is proving to be a halting, difficult process.
The mid-pandemic return to school is totally weird for kids. And possibly lonely, too.|Petula Dvorak|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
It also stops mice from squeaking, mostly because a good shot of it will kill a mouse.
20 ingenious uses for WD-40|By Bill Heavey/Field & Stream|February 11, 2021|Popular-Science
Republicans have pushed back heavily against the $15 minimum-wage proposal, saying it would kill jobs and hurt small businesses.
CBO report finds $15 minimum wage would cost jobs but lower poverty levels|Eli Rosenberg|February 8, 2021|Washington Post

Specifically because this was where, in 1954, Pedro Rodrigues Filho, later called “Killer Petey,” was born with a bruised skull, thanks to all the times his father tried to kill his mother while she was pregnant with him.
This Brazilian Dexter Loves Killing Killers|Leslie dela Vega|February 8, 2021|Ozy
Without it, they say, the disease would surely kill her within two years.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That ground hold was to stop you flying through weather that could kill you and everyone else aboard.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even a relatively small 250-pound bomb could kill or injure friendly troops who are within 650 feet of the explosion.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What responsibility was taken by cops when they kill unjustly?
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC|M.L. Nestel|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By the way, I saw Good Kill at Venice and really enjoyed it.
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was little better than coal dust, and would not carry a ball fifty paces to kill or wound.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
He could not bear to open his dreadful situation to his Uncle David, nor to kill himself, nor to defy the vengeance of Longcluse.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
At last his anxiety reached a point where he was positive that if he received an adverse decision, it would surely kill him.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
It was a very dangerous one, too, and sometimes lives were sacrificed in his efforts to capture or to kill this fierce wild beast.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
Soldiers called out, and they gave two unfortunates leaden food enough to kill them.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell

British Dictionary definitions for kill (1 of 2)

kill¹

/ (kɪl) /

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr; when tr, sometimes foll by off) to cause the death of (a person or animal)

to put an end to; destroyto kill someone's interest

to make (time) pass quickly, esp while waiting for something

to deaden (sound)

informal to tire out; exhaustthe effort killed him

informal to cause to suffer pain or discomfortmy shoes are killing me

informal to cancel, cut, or deleteto kill three lines of text

informal to quash, defeat, or vetothe bill was killed in the House of Lords

informal to switch off; stopto kill a motor

(also intr) informal to overcome with attraction, laughter, surprise, etcshe was dressed to kill; his gags kill me

slang to consume (alcoholic drink) entirelyhe killed three bottles of rum

sport to hit (a ball) so hard or so accurately that the opponent cannot return it

soccer to bring (a moving ball) under control; trap

kill oneself informal to overexert oneselfdon't kill yourself

kill two birds with one stone to achieve two results with one action

noun

the act of causing death, esp at the end of a hunt, bullfight, etc

the animal or animals killed during a hunt

NZ the seasonal tally of stock slaughtered at a freezing works

the destruction of a battleship, tank, etc

in at the kill present at the end or climax of some undertaking

Word Origin for kill

C13 cullen; perhaps related to Old English cwellan to kill; compare German (Westphalian dialect) küllen; see quell

British Dictionary definitions for kill (2 of 2)

kill²

/ (kɪl) /

noun

US a channel, stream, or river (chiefly as part of place names)

Word Origin for kill

C17: from Middle Dutch kille; compare Old Norse kīll small bay, creek

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with kill

kill

In addition to the idioms beginning with kill

kill off
kill or cure
kill the fatted calf
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
kill time
kill two birds with one stone
kill with kindness

also see:

curiosity killed the cat
dressed to kill
fit to kill
in at the death (kill)
make a killing

kill

OTHER WORDS FOR kill

Idioms about kill

Origin of kill

synonym study for kill

OTHER WORDS FROM kill

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH kill

Words nearby kill

Other definitions for kill (2 of 2)

Origin of kill

Words related to kill

How to use kill in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kill (1 of 2)

Word Origin for kill

British Dictionary definitions for kill (2 of 2)

Word Origin for kill

Other Idioms and Phrases with kill