Killing

Kill Kill, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Killed} (k[i^]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Killing}.] [OE. killen, kellen, cullen, to kill, strike; perh. the same word as cwellen, quellen, 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.] 1. To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means; to render inanimate; to put to death; to slay. [1913 Webster]

Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words ! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To destroy; to ruin; as, to kill one's chances; to kill the sale of a book. ``To kill thine honor.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Her lively color kill'd with deadly cares. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. 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. [1913 Webster +PJC]

Be comforted, good madam; the great rage, You see, is killed in him. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. To destroy the effect of; to counteract; to neutralize; as, alkali kills acid. [1913 Webster]

5. To waste or spend unprofitably; -- usually used of time; as, he killed an hour waiting for the doctor to see him. [PJC]

6. 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. [PJC]

{To kill time}, to busy one's self with something which occupies the attention, or makes the time pass without tediousness.

Syn: To murder; assassinate; slay; butcher; destroy. -- To {Kill}, {Murder}, {Assassinate}. 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.