killing
B2Neutral to informal depending on sense.
Definition
Meaning
The act of causing death to a living being.
Extremely tiring or demanding; causing great amusement or success (informal).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary sense relates to ending life. In informal contexts, it can describe overwhelming humour ('I'm killing myself laughing') or exceptional success ('He made a killing in the stock market'). The adjective form can mean extremely tiring ('That hike was killing') or very funny.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The informal sense 'extremely funny' is slightly more common in British English. The adjective use meaning 'very tiring/difficult' is common in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, the core sense is grave and negative. Informal extensions are casual and context-dependent.
Frequency
The noun 'killing' (act of killing) is high-frequency. The informal adjective/extended uses are medium-frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[make] a killing [in/on sth][be] killing [sb] (with laughter/exhaustion)[commit] a killingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “make a killing”
- “be in at the killing”
- “dressed to kill”
- “kill two birds with one stone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'Make a killing' = achieve a large financial profit.
Academic
Used in law, criminology, ethics, and biology to discuss the act of causing death.
Everyday
Common in news reports. Informal use: 'This workload is killing me.'
Technical
In computing: 'killing a process'; in gaming: 'eliminating a character'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The comedian was absolutely killing it on stage last night.
- This new policy is killing small businesses.
American English
- He's killing it in his new sales job.
- The suspense is killing me!
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The news reported a killing in the city.
- My feet are killing me after all that walking.
- He made a killing by selling his company's shares early.
- The detective investigated the brutal killing.
- The new regulations are killing innovation in the sector.
- Mercy killing remains a highly controversial topic.
- The systematic killing of endangered species must be stopped by international law.
- Her satirical impression of the politician was killingly accurate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'bill' that ends life; 'KILLING' sounds like 'killing' a bill in parliament, but here the bill is life itself.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/DIFFICULTY IS A KILLER ('This deadline is killing me.'), SUCCESS IS A MURDER ('We made a killing').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'make a killing' literally as it means 'to earn a lot of money quickly', not to commit murder. The Russian word 'убийство' only covers the core meaning, not the informal extensions.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a killing' as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'He did a killing' is unnatural; prefer 'He committed a killing/murder'). Overusing the informal 'killing' in formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'killing' used in its informal, extended meaning?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the core meaning of causing death is negative, informal phrases like 'make a killing' (earn a lot of money) or 'killing it' (doing very well) are positive.
Yes, informally, meaning 'extremely funny' (chiefly UK) or 'extremely tiring/difficult' (both UK & US), e.g., 'a killing joke', 'a killing schedule'.
'Killing' is the broadest term for causing death. 'Murder' is the unlawful, premeditated killing of a person. 'Manslaughter' is unlawful killing without premeditation, often due to negligence or in the heat of passion.
Yes, in everyday usage they are synonymous. 'Euthanasia' is the more formal, technical term used in medical and ethical contexts, while 'mercy killing' is a more colloquial expression.
Explore