murder
nounverbtop 1 000 in film dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)//
- United States//ˈmɝ.dɚ//
An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
noun
- 1
An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
Throwing that punch was a murder whether you meant for it to happen or not.
There have been ten unsolved murders this year alone.
The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
One of the most urgent tasks facing me after I assumed office was to assure the country that everything possible was being done to uncover the truth surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy. John Kennedy had been murdered, and a troubled, puzzled, and outraged nation wanted to know the facts.
- 2
An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. The crime of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
The defendant was charged with murder.
Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.[…]One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.
- 3
An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. The act of killing any being in an immoral manner; (countable) an instance of this.
It may be guessed, indeed, that this was the original form of the story, the fairy being the addition of those who considered Jack's thefts from (and murder of) the giant to be scarcely justified without her.
Dr. Herrera also knew Hemingway had held Batista's army personally responsible for the brutal murders of his dogs, Blackie (Black Dog) and Machakos.
Meat is murder.
- 4
An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. Synonym of murderer , a person who has unlawfully killed another.
- 5
figurativeSomething difficult or terrible to endure.
I heard this class is murder.
This headache is murder.
- 6
datedSomething remarkable or impressive.
Right quick another cat spoke up real loud, saying, “That’s murder man, really murder,” and his eyes were signifying too.
Altaira Morbius: [swimming in a pool] Come on in. Commander Adams: I didn't bring my bathing suit. Altaira Morbius: What's a bathing suit? Commander Adams: [quickly turning his back] Oh, murder!
- 7
A flock of crows or sometimes ravens.
A murder of crows dotted my backyard.
Every morning we woke up to the squawking of what seemed like a hundred murders in the trees above our campsite.
A murder of ravens scythed through the air , black arrows on a western trajectory toward the Flathead River .
For his part, Melchior was growing unhappy with the murder of crows. They had been patiently following Arthur for hours, trailing him from town to country.
- 8
Variant of felony murderAn act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. Short for felony murder, the act of committing or abetting a crime that results in the killing of a person, regardless of intent, even if the perpetrator did not directly kill the victim.
Both the arsonist and her partner were charged with murder, even though they had intended for it to be a victimless crime.
Etymology
From Middle English murder, murdre, mourdre, alteration of earlier murthre (“murder”) (see murther), from Old English morþor (“secret slaying, unlawful killing”) and Old English myrþra (“murder, homicide”), both from Proto-West Germanic *morþr, from Proto-Germanic *murþrą (“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tro- (“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr̥- (“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 (maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord (“murder”), Old Norse morð (“murder”), Old English myrþrian (“to murder”) and morþ. The -d- in the Middle English form may have been influenced in part by Anglo-Norman murdre, from Old French murdre, from Medieval Latin murdrum (whence the English doublet of murdrum), from Frankish *morþr, *murþr (“murder”), from the same Germanic root, though this may also have been wholly the result of internal development (compare burden, from burthen and spider, from spiþra). (crows): Attested at least since 1475.
verb
- 1
To illegally kill (a person or persons) with intent, especially with predetermination
The woman found dead in her kitchen was murdered by her husband.
- 2
To kill violently.
My uncle’s dog murdered my cat.
- 3
figurativeTo defeat decisively.
Our team is going to murder them.
- 4
figurativeTo kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).
He's torn my best shirt. When I see him, I'll murder him!
- 5
To botch or mangle.
Dr. Caius, the Frenchman in the play, and Evans the Welshman, "Gallia et Guallia," succeed pretty well in their efforts to murder the language.
- 6
figurativeTo devour, ravish.
I could murder a hamburger right now.
“Is that so? Well, I could murder a cup of tea,” said Auntie Flip.
Forms
- plural
- murders
- past tense
- murdered
- past participle
- murdered
- present participle
- murdering
- third person singular
- murders
murder · An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.
Murder · A surname.murdered · That has been murdered.murderer · A person who commits murder.