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n. 1. a. The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the crime of killing a person with malice aforethought or with recklessness manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. b. An instance of such killing. 2. Slang Something that is very uncomfortable, difficult, or hazardous: The rush hour traffic is murder. 3. A flock of crows. v. mur·dered, mur·der·ing, mur·ders v.tr. 1. To kill (another human) in an act of murder. 2. To kill brutally or inhumanly: Thousands of civilians were murdered in the bombardment. 3. To put an end to; destroy: murdered their chances. 4. To spoil by ineptness; mutilate: a speech that murdered the English language. 5. Slang To defeat decisively; trounce. v.intr. Idioms: To commit murder. get away with murder Informal To escape punishment for or detection of an egregiously blameworthy act. murder will out Secrets or misdeeds will eventually be disclosed. [Middle English murther, from Old English morthor; see mer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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