verb

kill

KIHL

verb

To cause the death of a person, animal, or living thing.

"The frost killed most of the young plants overnight."

"Reckless driving kills thousands of people every year."

To stop, switch off, or put an end to something completely.

"She reached over and killed the engine."

"The new tax proposal was killed in committee."

To cause severe pain, exhaustion, or distress — often used informally and not literally.

"My feet are killing me after that hike."

noun

An act of killing, or the animal or target that has been killed.

"The lioness dragged her kill back to the den."

How to Use Kill

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo end a life, or more loosely, to stop or switch something off; also used hyperbolically for severe pain or difficulty.

Common mistake

In casual speech, "this is killing me" almost never means literal death — it means intense discomfort or difficulty.

Common pairings

kill time kill the engine kill the lights

Word Forms

killed past tense, kill plural, killed plural, kills plural, kills plural, Kills plural, kills singular, kill singular, killed singular, killest singular, killedst singular, killeth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The frost _____ most of the young plants overnight.

Etymology

From Middle English "killen," of uncertain deeper origin, possibly related to Old English "cwellan" (to kill, the source of "quell") or an Old Norse word meaning "to strike."

Synonyms

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bag baptize bereave of life blight bring down bury cack compromised to a permanent end croak crush dead dash

Antonyms

save rescue resurrect revive raise reanimate reawaken requicken

Related Words

die take increase save build hit leave bag

Rhymes for kill

ill mill sill bill will till hill fill Jill dill gill pill

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