1. To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means; to render inanimate; to put to death; to slay. "Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words !" (Shak)

2. To destroy; to ruin; as, to kill one's chances; to kill the sale of a book. "To kill thine honor." "Her lively colour kill'd with deadly cares." (Shak)

3. To cause to cease; to quell; to calm; to still; as, in seamen's language, a shower of rain kills the wind. "Be comforted, good madam; the great rage, You see, is killed in him." (Shak)

4. To destroy the effect of; to counteract; to neutralize; as, alkali kills acid. To kill time, to busy one's self with something which occupies the attention, or makes the time pass without tediousness.

Synonyms: 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 tomurder suddenly and by stealth. The sheriff may kill without murdering, the duelist murders, but does not assassinate his antagonist, the assassin kills and murders.

5. A kiln.

6. A channel or arm of the sea; a river; a stream; as, the channel between Staten Island and Bergen Neck is the Kill van Kull, or the Kills; used also in composition; as, Schuylkill, Catskill, etc.

Origin: 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.

(01 Mar 1998)

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