murder
Forms
- Plural
- murders
- present (v1)
- murder
- past (v2)
- murdered
- past participle (v3)
- murdered
- present participle
- murdering
- 3rd person singular
- murders
Definitions
1.The crime of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
- The defendant was charged with murder.
2.An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
- A murder? Well, thank goodness for that!
- There have been ten unsolved murders this year alone.
- The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
3.The act of killing any being in an immoral manner; (countable) an instance of this.
- Dr. Herrera also knew Hemingway had held Batista's army personally responsible for the brutal murders of his dogs, Blackie (Black Dog) and Machakos.
- It may be guessed, indeed, that this was the original form of the story, the fairy being the addition of those who considered Jack's thefts from (and murder of) the giant to be scarcely justified without her.
4.Short for felony murder, the act of committing or abetting a crime that results in the killing of a person, regardless of intent, even if the perpetrator did not directly kill the victim.
- Both the arsonist and her partner were charged with murder, even though they had intended for it to be a victimless crime.
1.To illegally kill (a person or persons) with intent, especially with predetermination
- The woman found dead in her kitchen was murdered by her husband.
2.To kill violently.(colloquial)
- My uncle’s dog murdered my cat.
3.To defeat decisively.(colloquial)
- Our team is going to murder them.
4.To kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).(colloquial)
- He's torn my best shirt. When I see him, I'll murder him!
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1300
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English murder, murdre, mourdre, alteration of earlier murthre (“murder”) (see murther), from Old English morþor (“secret slaying, unlawful killing”) and Old English myrþra (“murder, homicide”), both from Proto-West Germanic *morþr, from Proto-Germanic *murþrą (“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tro- (“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr̥- (“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 (maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord (“murder”), Old Norse morð (“murder”), Old English myrþrian (“to murder”) and morþ.