Definition of "murder"

murder

/ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural murders
1. (uncountable) The crime of deliberately killing a person without moral justification.
  Quotations
  One of the most urgent tasks facing me after 1 assumed office was to assure the country that everything possible was being done to uncover the truth surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy. John Kennedy had been murdered, and a troubled, puzzled, and outraged nation wanted to know the facts.
  1971, Lyndon Johnson, “"I feel like I have already been here a year"”, in The Vantage Point‎, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, page 25
  Reggie Clemons has one last chance to save his life. After 19 years on death row in Missouri for the murder of two young women, he has been granted a final opportunity to persuade a judge that he should be spared execution by lethal injection.
  2012 August 21, Ed Pilkington, “Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”, in The Guardian
  Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. […] One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.
  2013 July 20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
  1. (uncountable, law, in jurisdictions which use the felony murder rule) The act of committing or abetting a serious crime that results in the killing of a person, regardless of intent; felony murder.
2. (countable) The act of deliberate killing of a person or other being without moral justification, especially with malice aforethought.
  Quotations
  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.
  1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings
  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.
  1984, Humphrey Carpenter, Mari Prichard, The Oxford companion to children's literature, page 275
  Life is cheap, never forget it. Corporations make marketing decisions by weighing the cost of being sued for your death against the cost of making the product safer. Your life is a factor in cost-effectiveness. So when you talk about murder, don't confine your discussion to individuals.
  1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings‎, New York: Hyperion Books, page 177
  Captain Sulu, who served under the legendary James T. Kirk for many years, disobeys Starfleet orders in order to try and help Kirk and another old shipmate, Dr. McCoy, who have been imprisoned for the murder of the Klingon chancellor.
  2003, Paul Ruditis, Star Trek Voyager: Companion, page 131
  Dr. Herrera also knew Hemingway had held Batista's army personally responsible for the brutal murders of his dogs, Blackie (Black Dog) and Machakos.
  2011, Carlene Brennen, Hemingway's Cats, page 161
3. (uncountable, used as a predicative noun) Something terrible to endure.
4. (countable, collective) A group of crows; the collective noun for crows.
  Quotations
  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.
  1995, Deepak Chopra, The Return of Merlin: A Novel, page 108
  Without the murder of crows roosting in its branches, Nevermore Tree looked as bare as a skeleton.
  2001, Daniel Handler, The Vile Village, page 76
5. (dated slang) Something remarkable or impressive.
  Quotations
  Right quick another cat spoke up real loud, saying, “That’s murder man, really murder,” and his eyes were signifying too.
  1946, Mezz Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues, New York: Random House, page 230
  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!
  1956, Cyril Hume, Forbidden Planet
verb
third-person singular simple present murders, present participle murdering, simple past and past participle murdered
1. To deliberately kill (a person or persons) without justification, especially with malice aforethought.
  Quotations
  In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered.
  1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The Historie of Englande”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, page 26, columns 1–2
2. (transitive, sports, figuratively, colloquial, hyperbolic) To defeat decisively.
3. (figuratively, colloquial, hyperbolic) To kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).
4. To botch or mangle.
  Quotations
  Dr. Caius, the Frenchman in the play, and Evans the Welshman, "Gallia et Guallia," succeed pretty well in their efforts to murder the language.
  1892, William Shepard Walsh, Handy-book of Literary Curiosities‎, page 293
5. (figuratively, colloquial, Britain) To devour, ravish.