kill
KIHL
Kill (verb) means to cause the death of a person, animal, or living thing. Example: “The frost killed most of the young plants overnight.”
verb
1
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."
"Too much salt can kill the grass along the edge of a path."
2
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."
"Please kill the lights when you leave the room."
3
To cause severe pain, exhaustion, or distress — often used informally and not literally.
"My feet are killing me after that hike."
"These new shoes are killing me, so I'm taking them off."
"My back is killing me after carrying those boxes upstairs."
noun
1
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- kills
- Third person singular
- kills
- Past tense
- killed
- Archaic forms
- killest, killedst, killeth
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
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for kill
See all rhymes for kill →Frequently asked questions
What does “kill” mean?
The word “kill” means to cause the death of a person, animal, or living thing. In plain terms, to end a life, or more loosely, to stop or switch something off; also used hyperbolically for severe pain or difficulty.
How do you pronounce “kill”?
“Kill” is pronounced KIHL (/ˈkɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “kill” in a sentence?
Here is “kill” used in a sentence: “The frost killed most of the young plants overnight.”
What is another word for “kill”?
Words with a similar meaning to “kill” include bag, baptize, bereave of life, blight, bring down and bury.
What is the opposite of “kill”?
The opposite of “kill” — its antonyms — are save, rescue, resurrect, revive and raise.
What part of speech is “kill”?
Depending on how it is used, “kill” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “kill” come from?
The word “kill” comes from Old English. 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.".
Is “kill” a common word?
“Kill” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between kill and murder?
Kill is the broad term for causing any death, whether by accident, in war, in self-defense or in nature. Murder is far narrower: the deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another. Every murder is a kill, but most killing is not murder in the legal sense of the word.
Does kill always mean causing death?
Not always. Beyond its literal meaning, kill is used figuratively in everyday speech: to kill time, kill an engine, kill the lights, or kill a plan. In these senses it means to stop, switch off or use up something, rather than to actually end a life.
What is the opposite of kill?
There is no single exact opposite, but words like revive, save, spare and resuscitate stand against it, describing the act of preserving or restoring life. To give life or bring something back is the natural counterpoint to taking it away. Context decides which opposite fits best in a given sentence.
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