murder
B2Formal (legal), Informal (figurative)
Definition
Meaning
The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.
A very difficult or unpleasant task or situation; a disastrous performance; in law, the specific crime of unlawful killing with malice aforethought.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core legal meaning involves intent (malice aforethought). The figurative meaning implies extreme difficulty, incompetence, or a severe beating in sports.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Legal classifications differ (e.g., 'first-degree', 'second-degree' murder in US law vs. 'murder' and 'manslaughter' in UK law). The verb 'to murder' a song/language is slightly more common in UK informal use.
Connotations
Equally grave in both dialects for the literal meaning. The informal 'It's murder on my back' is common in both.
Frequency
Comparatively high and similar frequency in news and legal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] murder [O] (He murdered the victim.)[S] murder [O] for [reason] (She murdered him for the insurance money.)[S] murder [O] with [instrument] (They murdered him with a knife.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get away with murder”
- “scream blue murder”
- “murder will out”
- “murder on the dancefloor”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Figurative: 'These new regulations are murder for small businesses.'
Academic
Legal/Philosophical: 'The paper examines the ethical distinctions between murder and justifiable homicide.'
Everyday
Figurative: 'That hill is murder to cycle up.' or 'The comedian murdered that joke.'
Technical
Legal: 'The prosecution must prove mens rea for a murder conviction.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was accused of murdering his business partner.
- You'll murder those roses if you overwater them.
- The cover band completely murdered that Queen song.
American English
- She was convicted of murdering three people.
- This heat is murdering my garden.
- The quarterback murdered that last drive with an interception.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used) He stared murderously at his rival.
- She smiled murderously before revealing her plan.
American English
- (Rarely used) The critic looked murderously at the performer.
- He whispered murderously, threatening revenge.
adjective
British English
- The murder weapon was never found.
- She writes gripping murder mysteries.
- He had a murderous look in his eyes.
American English
- The murder trial lasted six months.
- We watched a classic murder mystery film.
- The team's defense was murderous.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Murder is a very bad crime.
- The police are looking for the murderer.
- The detective solved the murder using new evidence.
- It's murder trying to find a parking space here.
- The jury found him guilty of murder in the first degree.
- She screamed blue murder when she saw the spider.
- The barrister argued that the evidence for premeditated murder was circumstantial.
- The pianist's interpretation didn't just play the sonata; he murdered its delicate nuances.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MURDER: Malice Unlawfully Results in Death, Ending a life.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULT TASKS ARE MURDER ('This commute is murder.'), BAD PERFORMANCES ARE MURDER ('He murdered that song.').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'убийство' (the act) and 'убийца' (the murderer). 'Murder' is the crime/act, not the person.
- The figurative use ('это просто убийство!') is a direct calque and works similarly.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'murder' for accidental killing (use 'manslaughter' or 'accidental death').
- Confusing 'murder' (noun) with 'murderer' (person).
- Overusing the figurative sense in formal writing.
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, what is the key element that distinguishes 'murder' from 'manslaughter'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in its core legal sense. Figuratively, it can be used for things: 'murder a song', 'murder the English language'.
'Homicide' is the broad term for any killing of a person. 'Murder' is unlawful homicide with malice. 'Manslaughter' is unlawful killing without malice (e.g., in the heat of passion or by negligence).
Yes, in its informal figurative senses. Saying 'I'm going to murder that pizza' or 'My feet are killing me' uses hyperbole for humour or emphasis.
It means to do something very bad or unacceptable without being punished or criticized for it, often due to leniency or privilege.
Collections
Part of a collection
Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.