kill

To cause a person, animal, or other living thing to die.

• The poison killed the insects.
• Many people were killed in the storm.
• Can this disease kill a healthy adult?

Similar words: assassinate, dispatch, drill, ice

Opposites: save, revive

Common phrases: kill someone, kill insects

To stop something from continuing or happening.

• That argument killed the mood.
• The council killed our proposal.
• High costs could kill the whole project.

Similar words: end, stop, put an end to

Common phrases: kill a plan, kill the mood

To cause someone a lot of pain or discomfort.

• My back is killing me.
• Those tight shoes killed my feet.
• Is your headache still killing you?

Similar words: hurt, cause pain

Common phrases: kill someone, kill my feet

To stop a machine or system from working, often by switching it off.

• Kill the engine and wait here.
• The power cut killed the computer.
• She killed the lights before leaving.

Similar words: shut off, switch off, disable

Opposites: activate

Common phrases: kill the engine, kill the power

To damage something badly through rough treatment or heavy use.

• These paths will kill your shoes.
• The frost killed our lawn.
• Years of heavy use killed the old sofa.

Similar words: ruin, wreck, destroy

Common phrases: kill your shoes, kill the grass

To make someone laugh a lot.

• Your jokes kill me.
• That silly impression killed us.
• The comedian killed the audience with his final story.

Similar words: crack up, amuse

Common phrases: kill me, kill the audience

An act that causes a person or animal to die.

• The lion made a kill.
• The hunter wanted a quick kill.
• The pack made several kills that winter.

Similar words: killing

Common phrases: a clean kill, make a kill

An animal that another animal or a hunter has killed.

• The leopard hid its kill.
• Vultures gathered around the lion’s kill.
• The wolves carried their kills back to the den.

Similar words: prey, carcass

Common phrases: its kill, a fresh kill