to deprive of life in any manner; cause the death of; slay.

to destroy; do away with; extinguish

His response killed our hopes.

to destroy or neutralize the active qualities of

to kill an odor.

to spoil the effect of

His extra brushwork killed the painting.

to cause (time) to be consumed with seeming rapidity or with a minimum of boredom, esp. by engaging in some easy activity or amusement of passing interest

I had to kill three hours before plane time.

to spend (time) unprofitably

He killed ten good years on that job.

Informal . to overcome completely or with irresistible effect

That comedian kills me.

to muffle or deaden

This carpet kills the sound of footsteps.

Informal . to cause distress or discomfort to

These new shoes are killing me.

Informal . to tire completely; exhaust

The long hike killed us.

Informal . to consume completely

They killed a bottle of bourbon between them.

to cancel publication of (a word, paragraph, item, etc.), esp. after it has been set in type.

to defeat or veto (a legislative bill, etc.).

Electricity . to render (a circuit) dead.

to stop the operation of (machinery, engines, etc.)

He killed the motor and the car stopped.

Tennis . to hit (a ball) with such force that its return is impossible.

Metallurgy .

to deoxidize (steel) before teeming into an ingot mold.

to eliminate springiness from (wire or the like).

to cold-roll (sheet metal) after final heat treatment in order to eliminate distortion.

Ice Hockey . to prevent the opposing team from scoring in the course of (a penalty being served by a teammate or teammates).

to inflict or cause death.

to commit murder.

to be killed.

to overcome completely; produce an irresistible effect

dressed to kill.

Slang . to feel a smarting pain, as from a minor accident; sting

I stubbed my little toe and that really kills.

the act of killing, esp. game

The hounds moved in for the kill.

an animal or animals killed.

a number or quantity killed.

an act or instance of hitting or destroying a target, esp. an enemy aircraft.

the target so hit or, esp., destroyed.

Sports . kill shot. ?

kill off,

to destroy completely; kill, esp. successively or indiscriminately

The invaders killed off all the inhabitants of the town.

Informal . to extinguish; eliminate

The bus ride every day kills off all of my energy.

kill with kindness

to overdo in one's efforts to be kind

The aunts would kill their nephews and nieces with kindness.

verb

bear , create , give birth , begin , initiate , start , turn on

verb

annihilate , asphyxiate , assassinate , crucify , dispatch , do away with * , do in * , drown , dump , electrocute , eradicate , erase * , execute , exterminate , extirpate , finish , garrote , get * , guillotine , hang , hit * , immolate , liquidate , lynch , massacre , murder , neutralize , obliterate , off * , poison , polish off * , put away * , put to death , rub out * , sacrifice , slaughter , slay , smother , snuff , strangle , suffocate , waste * , wipe out * , x-out , zap * , annul , cease , counteract , deaden , defeat , extinguish , forbid , halt , negative , nix * , nullify , prohibit , quash , quell , recant , refuse , revoke , ruin , scotch , shut off , stifle , still , stop , suppress , turn out , veto , carry off , cut down , cut off , destroy , abolish , blot out , clear , erase , remove , root , rub out , snuff out , stamp out , uproot , wipe out , dawdle , fiddle away , trifle away , waste , while , wile , blast , burke , butcher , cancel , croak , cull , decapitate , decimate , despatch , do in , numb , shoot , silence

noun

brook , creek