kill
A2neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
to cause the death of a living being
to end, destroy, or stop something; to cause something to fail or cease; to overwhelm or defeat completely; to use up time
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has both literal (causing death) and figurative (ending/destroying) meanings. It can be transitive or intransitive. In informal contexts, it often means 'to cause extreme discomfort' or 'to be very funny.'
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meaning. Some idiomatic expressions vary (e.g., 'kill the lights' is more common in AmE).
Connotations
Similar strong negative connotations in both varieties. Used similarly in hyperbole and informal speech.
Frequency
Equally frequent and core in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
kill + NP (object)kill + NP + with + NP (instrument)kill + NP + for + NP (reason)kill + oneselfVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “kill two birds with one stone”
- “dressed to kill”
- “kill the fatted calf”
- “kill or cure”
- “kill with kindness”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To stop a project or product ('They had to kill the new line due to poor sales').
Academic
Used in biology/ecology ('The pesticide kills beneficial insects'). Rare in formal humanities.
Everyday
Literal and figurative ('I'm going to kill that mosquito'; 'This walk is killing me'; 'You kill me!' meaning 'You're very funny').
Technical
In computing: to terminate a process ('kill -9 [PID]'). In hunting/sports: to succeed in hunting or scoring.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The frost will kill the tender plants.
- Let's kill the proposal before it goes to committee.
- This hill is killing my legs.
- We killed a few hours at the museum.
American English
- The committee killed the bill.
- Kill the lights when you leave.
- My feet are killing me after that hike.
- He killed the engine and got out.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb) 'He looked killingly handsome in his new suit.'
American English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb) 'She was dressed killingly well for the party.'
adjective
British English
- The boxer delivered a killing blow.
- She has a killing smile.
- They faced killing boredom during lockdown.
American English
- The comedian was killing last night.
- He's in a killing mood.
- The factory is a killing field for jobs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cat tried to kill the mouse.
- Be careful not to kill the flowers.
- I killed a spider in the bath.
- The new law could kill small businesses.
- We need to kill this idea before it spreads.
- He was killed in a tragic accident.
- The journalist was killed for exposing the truth.
- The harsh criticism killed her enthusiasm for the project.
- They managed to kill the story before it was published.
- The amendment was designed to kill the bill through endless debate.
- Her performance was so good it killed the competition.
- The sheer irony of the situation was killing.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'kill' switch – a button that stops something completely, just as the verb 'kill' stops life or an activity.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (to kill time); PROBLEMS/IDEAS ARE LIVING THINGS (to kill a rumour); EFFORT IS A PHYSICAL FORCE (This workout is killing me).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'kill' for turning off appliances – use 'turn off' or 'switch off'.
- Do not use 'kill' lightly for defeating someone in a game; use 'beat' or 'defeat'.
- 'To kill oneself' means to commit suicide, not just to work very hard.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I killed the television.' (Correct: 'I turned off the television.')
- Incorrect: 'She killed the exam.' (Correct, but very informal/slang. Better: 'She aced the exam.')
- Incorrect preposition: 'kill by a car' (Correct: 'killed by a car' or 'killed in a car accident').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'kill' used figuratively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is frequently used figuratively to mean 'end' or 'destroy' for things like ideas, projects, moods, or rumours.
'Kill' is the general term. 'Murder' implies unlawful and premeditated killing of a person. 'Assassinate' means to murder a prominent person, often for political reasons.
Yes, it is a common, informal hyperbolic expression meaning 'My feet are hurting me very much.'
Rarely in a positive literal sense, but informally it can mean 'to be extremely impressive or successful,' as in 'You killed it in your presentation!'