Law . the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson (first-degree murder), and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation (second-degree murder).

Slang . something extremely difficult or perilous

That final exam was murder!

a group or flock of crows.

Law . to kill by an act constituting murder.

to kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously.

to spoil or mar by bad performance, representation, pronunciation, etc.

The tenor murdered the aria.

to commit murder. ?

get away with murder

Informal . to engage in a deplorable activity without incurring harm or punishment

The new baby-sitter lets the kids get away with murder.

murder will out

a secret will eventually be exposed.

yell or scream bloody murder

to scream loudly in pain, fear, etc.

to protest loudly and angrily

If I don't get a good raise I'm going to yell bloody murder.

verb

guard , preserve , protect , save

noun

annihilation , assassination , blood , bloodshed , butchery , carnage , crime , death , destruction , dispatching , felony , foul play * , hit * , homicide , knifing , liquidation , lynching , manslaughter , massacre , off * , offing , one-way ticket , rub out * , shooting , slaying , taking out , terrorism , the business , the worksnotes:the general term for the killing of a person by another is homicide ; murder is either the intentional killing or malicious killing of another; manslaughter is the unintentional , accidental killing of another through carelessness , killing

verb

abolish , asphyxiate , assassinate , behead , blot out * , bump off * , butcher , chill * , cool * , decapitate , defeat , destroy , dispatch , do in * , drub * , dust off * , electrocute , eliminate , eradicate , execute , exterminate , extinguish , finish , garotte , guillotine , hang , hit * , knife , knock off * , liquidate , lynch , mangle , mar , massacre , misuse , off * , put away * , rub out * , ruin , shoot , slaughter , slay , smother , snuff , spoil , strangle , take a life , take for a ride , take out * , thrash * , waste *notes:the general term for the killing of a person by another is homicide ; murder is either the intentional killing or malicious killing of another; manslaughter is the unintentional , accidental killing of another through carelessness , kill , do in , homicide , killing , manslaughter , waste