- OE. killenkellencullen, to kill, strike; perh. the same word as cwellenquellen, to kill (cf. Quell), or perh. rather akin to Icel. kolla to hit in the head, harm, kollr top, summit, head, Sw. kulle, D. kollen to kill with the ax
- To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means; to render inanimate; to put to death; to slay.Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words !
- To destroy; to ruin; as, to kill one's chances; to kill the sale of a book.Tokillthine honor.Her lively color kill'd with deadly cares.
- To cause to cease; to quell; to calm; to still; as, in seamen's language, a shower of rain kills the wind; new sound insultation killed the loud noises from outside.Be comforted, good madam; the great rage, You see, is killed in him.
- To destroy the effect of; to counteract; to neutralize; as, alkali kills acid.
- To waste or spend unprofitably; -- usually used of time; as, he killed an hour waiting for the doctor to see him.
- To cancel or forbid publication of (a report, article, etc.), after it has been written; as, they killed the article after getting threats of a lawsuit.To murder; assassinate; slay; butcher; destroy. -- To KillMurderAssassinate. To kill does not necessarily mean any more than to deprive of life. A man may kill another by accident or in self-defense, without the imputation of guilt. To murder is to kill with malicious forethought and intention. To assassinate is to murder suddenly and by stealth. The sheriff may kill without murdering; the duelist murders, but does not assassinate his antagonist; the assassin kills and murders.
