kill — to cause the death of a living being
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to cause the death of a living being
Pronunciation (IPA): /kɪl/
Example Sentences
- My mom will kill me if she finds out I broke her favorite vase.
- This headache is killing me right now.
- He killed it at the talent show with his amazing dance moves.
kill
VERB[/kɪl/]
to cause the death of a living being
An exterminator kills the cockroach with pesticide spray
Stand still on the hill, ready to kill
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Kill derives from Middle English 'killen', which evolved from Old English 'cwellan' meaning 'to strike' or 'to kill'. The word originates from Germanic language roots, where it initially conveyed the sense of striking or hitting before developing into its modern sense of causing death.
Breakdown
Old English 'cwellan' (to strike, kill) → Middle English 'killen' → Modern English 'kill'. The semantic evolution shows a shift from physical striking to the act of causing death, reflecting a semantic narrowing and intensification common in Germanic languages.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom will kill me if she finds out I broke her favorite vase.”
“This headache is killing me right now.”
“He killed it at the talent show with his amazing dance moves.”
“Don't kill the messenger - I'm just telling you what the boss said.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.