v.
- cause the death of.
▸put an end to.
▸stop (a computing process).
- informal overwhelm with an emotion:
the suspense is killing me.
▸cause pain or anguish to.
▸
(kill oneself)
overexert oneself.
- pass (time) while waiting for something.
- (in soccer and other ball games) make (the ball) stop.
▸Tennis hit (the ball) so that it cannot be returned.
n.
- an act of killing, especially of one animal by another:
a lion has made a kill.
▸an animal or animals killed by a hunter or another animal.
- informal an act of destroying or disabling an enemy aircraft, submarine, etc.
Phrase
- be in at the kill
be present at or benefit from the successful conclusion of an enterprise. - go
(or move)
in for the kill
take ruthless or decisive action to secure an advantage. - kill someone with kindness
spoil someone with overindulgence.
Etymology
ME (in the sense ‘strike, beat’, also ‘put to death’): prob. of Gmc origin and rel. to quell.