kill

KIL/kɪl/

Verbkills, killing, killed

Noun pluralkills

20 meanings of kill

Practice

1
end a lifeverbtransitive
To make a person, animal, or plant die.
Like switching off a light that can never come back on.
The farmer had to kill the sick chicken.
A single bite from that snake can kill a grown man.
UsageSay someone was killed in an accident.
Similarslay, slaughter, destroy
Note
2
nouncountable
The act of killing a person or animal, or each enemy counted as killed or destroyed in war or a video game.
The cat watched the bird for a long time before the kill.
She got ten kills in the first round of the game.
3
put an end toverbfigurativelytransitive
To stop something so that it ends or fails for good.
The committee voted to kill the new tax plan.
Bad weather killed our plans for the trip.
Similarscrap, end, cancel, axe
Note
4
waste (time)verbtransitive
To use something up, or to spend time doing little.
We killed an hour playing cards while we waited.
Let's kill the rest of the pizza before we go.
UsageSay kill time when you wait: kill time reading.
Similarpass, fill, waste
Note
5
hurt badlyverbfigurativelytransitive or intransitive
To hurt someone a lot or make them very upset.
These new shoes are killing my feet.
My knees are going to kill me after that long walk.
UsageSay My feet are killing me.
Similarhurt
Note
6
nouncountable
In volleyball, an attacking hit that wins the point because the other team cannot return it.
Like scoring a goal the other team has no chance to stop.
Her powerful kill gave the team the final point.
The setter watched the kill drop just inside the line.
Similarspike, winner
Note

Less common meanings

7
switch offverbtransitive
To turn off or stop a machine, a program, or the power.
Kill the engine before you check the oil.
She killed the lights and left the room.
Similarcut, stop
8
verbcolloquialfigurativelytransitive
To beat someone or something completely, often in a game or contest.
Our team killed the visitors in the final match.
If we keep practicing like this, our debate team will kill the other school next week.
Similarcrush, thrash, trounce, hammer, annihilate
9
comedy successverbintransitive
To do something very well, especially when performing or telling jokes to an audience.
The new comedian killed at the open mic night.
If you tell that story right, you'll kill.
UsageSay you killed it for a great show.
Similarslay, triumph
Oppositebomb, flop, die
Note
10
verbfigurativelytransitive
To make someone laugh very hard, or to amaze them.
Jokes like that always kill me.
The way he told that story really killed me.
UsageSay That kills me! about something very funny.
Similarslay, floor
Note
11
punishverbcolloquialfigurativelytransitive
To punish someone very harshly.
My dad will kill me if I scratch his car.
The coach is going to kill us for being late.
UsageSay My dad will kill me when you will be in trouble.
Similarmurder, punish
Note
12
preynouncountable
An animal that a hunter or predator has killed.
The lioness dragged her kill into the shade.
Hunters carried the kill back to camp.
Similarprey, carcass, quarry, catch
13
wear yourself outverbcolloquialreflexivetransitive
To work or try so hard that you wear yourself out.
She kills herself studying for every exam.
Don't kill yourself trying to finish it all today.
UsageSay Don't kill yourself to mean don't work too hard.
Similarexhaust, overwork, overexert, strain
14
smash the ballverbtransitive
To hit a ball so hard and well that the other team cannot return it.
Like a final move in a game that no one can block.
She killed the ball at the net to win the match.
He can kill almost any shot near the net.
Similarsmash, spike
Note
15
verbtransitiveice hockey
In ice hockey, to stop the other team from scoring while your team has one player fewer because of a penalty.
We have to kill this penalty, or the game is over.
Our goalie made six saves as we killed off the two-minute penalty.
Note
16
creeknoundialectalNew Yorkcountable
A small stream, channel, or narrow part of the sea.
My uncle fishes for trout in the Batten Kill every spring.
Big ships pass through the Arthur Kill near Staten Island.
Similarcreek, stream, channel, brook, inlet
Note
17
verbtransitive
To put a ball out of play so that the game stops.
Like catching a rolling ball so everyone can pause.
The defender killed the ball to slow the game down.
Players sometimes kill the ball to waste time near the end.
Similardeaden
Note
18
making steelverbtransitive
To take the oxygen out of melted steel so that it hardens without gas bubbling out.
Like letting fizzy soda go flat before you pour it.
Workers kill the steel before pouring it into the molds.
The foundry killed the metal to stop it from bubbling.
Similardeoxidize
Note
19
sexual skillverbslangvulgar
To have sex with someone in a very skillful, satisfying way.
Her friends laughed when she said he killed her in bed.
He bragged to his friends that he would kill that pussy.
Note
20
verbcolloquial
To make a number or term become zero.

More uses

kill itto do something extremely well

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of kill apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–15, 17–19

From Middle English killen, meaning to strike or beat. Its exact origin is not known.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Kill derives from Middle English killen, meaning to strike or beat, and its earlier origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 16

Borrowed from Dutch kil, which came from older Dutch and Germanic forms.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

English kill, meaning a watercourse, was borrowed from Dutch kil. en.wiktionary.org
Dutch kil descends from older Dutch and Germanic forms. en.wiktionary.org