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murder

noun
/ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)/UK/ˈmɝ.dɚ/US

Etymology

From Middle English murder, murdre, mourdre, alteration of earlier murthre (“murder”) (see murther), from Old English morþor (“secret slaying, unlawful killing”) and Old English myrþra (“murder, homicide”), both from Proto-West Germanic *morþr, from Proto-Germanic *murþrą (“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tro- (“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr̥- (“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 (maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord (“murder”), Old Norse morð (“murder”), Old English myrþrian (“to murder”) and morþ. The -d- in the Middle English form may have been influenced in part by Anglo-Norman murdre, from Old French murdre, from Medieval Latin murdrum (whence the English doublet of murdrum), from Frankish *morþr, *murþr (“murder”), from the same Germanic root, though this may also have been wholly the result of internal development (compare burden, from burthen). (crows): Attested at least since 1475.

  1. derived from *mer-✻
  2. derived from *mr̥tro-✻ — “killing”
  3. inherited from *murþrą✻ — “death, killing, murder”
  4. inherited from *morþr✻
  5. inherited from morþor — “secret slaying, unlawful killing”
  6. inherited from murder

Definitions

  1. The crime of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination.

    • The defendant was charged with murder.

  2. The act of killing a person (or sometimes another being) unlawfully, especially with…

    The act of killing a person (or sometimes another being) unlawfully, especially with predetermination

    • There have been ten unsolved murders this year alone.
    • The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
    • It may be guessed, indeed, that this was the original form of the story, the fairy being the addition of those who considered Jack's thefts from (and murder of) the giant to be scarcely justified without her.

  3. Something terrible to endure.

    • This headache is murder.
  4. ›+ 9 more definitions

    1. A group of crows

      A group of crows; the collective noun for crows.

      • For his part, Melchior was growing unhappy with the murder of crows. They had been patiently following Arthur for hours, trailing him from town to country.
      • Without the murder of crows roosting in its branches, Nevermore Tree looked as bare as a skeleton.

    2. Something remarkable or impressive.

      • Right quick another cat spoke up real loud, saying, “That’s murder man, really murder,” and his eyes were signifying too.
      • Altaira Morbius: [swimming in a pool] Come on in. Commander Adams: I didn't bring my bathing suit. Altaira Morbius: What's a bathing suit? Commander Adams: [quickly turning his back] Oh, murder!

    3. a murderer

    4. To illegally kill (a person or persons) with intent, especially with predetermination

      • The woman found dead in her kitchen was murdered by her husband.

    5. To defeat decisively.

      • Our team is going to murder them.

    6. To kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).

      • He's torn my best shirt. When I see him, I'll murder him!

    7. To botch or mangle.

      • Dr. Caius, the Frenchman in the play, and Evans the Welshman, "Gallia et Guallia," succeed pretty well in their efforts to murder the language.

    8. To devour, ravish.

      • I could murder a hamburger right now.
      • “Is that so? Well, I could murder a cup of tea,” said Auntie Flip.

    9. A surname.

The neighborhood

Derived

antimurder, archmurderer, axe-murder, axe murder, axe murderer, axe-murderer, blue murder, capital murder, countermurder, cry blue murder, depraved-heart murder, depraved-indifference murder, felony murder, felony murder rule, first-degree murder, gentle murder paradox, get away with murder, half murder, lust murder, malice murder, mass murder, mass murderer, megamurder, multimurder, murdelize, murderabilia, murderable, Murderapolis, murderate, murderball, murder ballad, murderbird, murder board, murder book, murderbot, murder by suicide, murdercide, murdered, murderee, murderer · +56 more

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at murder. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01murder02endure03despite04spite05malice

A definitional loop anchored at murder. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

5 hops · closes at murder

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA