slaughter Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the killing of animals (as for food)
  2. noun a sound defeat
    trouncing; drubbing; whipping; thrashing; debacle; walloping.
  3. noun the savage and excessive killing of many people
    butchery; massacre; carnage; mass murder.
  4. verb kill (animals) usually for food consumption
    butcher.
    • They slaughtered their only goat to survive the winter
  5. verb kill a large number of people indiscriminately
    mow down; massacre.
    • The Hutus massacred the Tutsis in Rwanda

WordNet

Slaugh"ter noun
Etymology
OE. slautir, slaughter, slaghter, Icel. slatr slain flesh, modified by OE. slaught, slaht, slaughter, fr. AS. sleaht a stroke, blow; both from the root of E. slay. See Slay, v. t., and cf. Onslaught.
Definitions
  1. The act of killing. Specifically: (a) The extensive, violent, bloody, or wanton destruction of life; carnage.
    On war and mutual slaughter bent. Milton.
    (b) The act of killing cattle or other beasts for market. Syn. -- Carnage; massacre; butchery; murder; havoc.
Slaugh"ter transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Slaughtered ; present participle & verbal noun Slaughtering
Definitions
  1. To visit with great destruction of life; to kill; to slay in battle.
    Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes Savagely slaughtered. Shak.
  2. To butcher; to kill for the market, as beasts.

Webster 1913