kill¹ / kil/ • v. [tr.] 1. cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing): her father was killed in a car crash| [intr.] a robber armed with a shotgun who kills in cold blood. ∎  put an end to or cause the failure or defeat of (something): the committee voted to kill the project. ∎  stop (a computer program or process). ∎ inf. switch off (a light or engine). ∎  inf. delete (a line, paragraph, or file) from a document or computer. ∎  (in soccer or other ball games) make (the ball) stop. ∎  (in tennis and similar games) hit (the ball) so forcefully that it cannot be returned. ∎  neutralize or subdue (an effect or quality): the sauce would kill the taste of the herbs. ∎ inf. consume the entire contents of (a bottle containing an alcoholic drink). 2. inf. overwhelm (someone) with an emotion: the suspense is killing me. ∎  (kill oneself) overexert oneself: I killed myself carrying those things home. ∎  used hyperbolically to indicate that someone is extremely angry with another person: my parents will kill me if they catch me out here. ∎  cause pain or anguish to: my feet are killing me. 3. pass (time, or a specified amount of it), typically while waiting for a particular event: when he reached the station, he found he actually had an hour to kill.• n. [usu. in sing.] an act of killing, esp. of one animal by another: a lion has made a kill. ∎  an animal or animals killed, either by a hunter or by another animal: the vulture is able to survey the land and locate a fresh kill. ∎  inf. an act of destroying or disabling an enemy aircraft, submarine, tank, etc. ∎  (in tennis and similar games) a very forceful shot that cannot be returned.kill² • n. [in place names] chiefly New York State a stream, creek, or tributary: Kill Van Kull.

kill kill or cure (of a remedy for a problem) likely to either work well or fail catastrophically, with no possibility of partial success.
kill two birds with one stone achieve two aims at once; proverbial, recorded from the mid 17th century.

See also care killed the cat, curiosity killed the cat, kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, it is the pace that kills.

kill †strike, beat XIII; put to death XIV. ME. kulle, kille, kelle; these vars. point to an OE. *cyllan :- Gmc. *kuljan, rel. by gradation to *kwaljan kill, QUELL.

Kill ★★½ 1973

A rough, cynical, hard-boiled, womanizing detective tracks down stolen cash in downtown Macao. 81m/C VHS . Richard Jaeckel, Henry Duval, Judy Washington; D: Rolf Bayer; W: Rolf Bayer; M: Noel Quinlan.

Kill

the carcasses of birds or animals killed by a sportsman. See also bag .