Murder

/ˈmɜːrdər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.

The crime of murder carries severe penalties in most legal systems.

An act of killing that is particularly brutal or shocking.

The movie depicted a gruesome murder that left the audience in disbelief.

A very difficult or unpleasant situation.

The exam was a real murder, and many students struggled to pass.

verb

To unlawfully kill a human being with intent to cause death or serious injury.

The detective believed that the suspect had murdered the victim in cold blood.

To ruin or spoil something.

He really murdered the cake by adding too much salt instead of sugar.

Middle English, from Old English 'moryð' meaning 'to kill, destroy'.

murder mystery

A story or game in which a murder must be solved.

murder will out

A proverb suggesting that the truth will eventually be revealed.

murderer's row

A term denoting a group of exceptionally skilled individuals.

manslaughter

The unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought.

assassin

A person who commits murder for political or monetary gain.

homicide

The deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another.

To thoroughly defeat or overwhelm someone.

We murdered the competition this season!

To do something extremely well.

She murdered that performance last night!