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v. killed, kill·ing, kills v.tr. 1. a. To put to death: Who killed Julius Caesar? b. To deprive of life: Smallpox killed millions of people in the 1900s. 2. To put an end to; extinguish: The rain killed our plans for a picnic. 3. a. To destroy a vitally essential quality in: Too much garlic killed the taste of the meat. b. To cause to cease operating; turn off: killed the motor. c. To tire out completely; exhaust: "The trip to work, and the boredom and nervousness of jobs, kills men" (Jimmy Breslin). 4. To pass (time) in aimless activity: killed a few hours before the flight by sightseeing. 5. To consume entirely; finish off: kill a bottle of brandy. 6. Sports To prevent the opposing team from scoring on a power play during (a penalty), as in ice hockey. 7. To cause extreme pain or discomfort to: My shoes are killing me. 8. To mark for deletion; rule out: killed the story. 9. To thwart passage of; veto: kill a congressional bill. 10. Informal To overwhelm with hilarity, pleasure, or admiration: The outstanding finale killed the audience. 11. Sports a. To hit (a ball) with great force. b. To hit (a ball) with such force as to make a return impossible, as in volleyball. v.intr. 1. To cause death or extinction; be fatal. 2. Informal To make such a strong impression as to overcome: dress to kill. 3. Informal To be very painful or uncomfortable. n. Phrasal Verb: 1. The act of killing. 2. a. An animal killed, especially in hunting. b. A person killed or to be killed: "Infantrymen ... had seen too many kills suddenly get up and run away or shoot at them as they approached" (Nelson DeMille). c. An event in which large numbers of individuals are killed: a fish kill. d. The act of attacking and destroying an enemy aircraft, vessel, or missile. 3. Sports In games such as volleyball and tennis, a shot that is so forcefully hit that it cannot be returned. kill off Idiom: To destroy in large numbers, often to the point of extinction. in at/on the kill Present at the moment of triumph. [Middle English killen, perhaps from Old English *cyllan; see gwelə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
[Dutch kil, from Middle Dutch kille.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
