verb / noun
kill
KIL/kɪl/
To bring a living organism's life to an end.
The woman kills a housefly with a swing of her flyswatter.
Etymology
Kill earlier meant “strike, hit, beat,” before acquiring the sense “put to death.” It may be connected with Old English cwellan, “kill,” but that ancestry is uncertain.
In context
I guarantee they'll die without a trace. That girl is tough. Three people couldn't kill her.
More examples
- A hard frost can kill these young plants.
- This disinfectant kills bacteria on kitchen counters.
- The lion moves closer to its prey before making a kill.
Forms
kill · kills · killed · killing
killer noun — A person, animal, or thing that kills.