slay Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb kill intentionally and with premeditation
    murder; off; dispatch; remove; hit; bump off; polish off.
    • The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered

WordNet

Slay transitive verb
Etymology
OE. slan, sln, sleen, slee, AS. sleán to strike, beat, slay; akin to OFries. sla, D. slaan, OS. & OHG. slahan, G. schlagen, Icel. sla, Dan. slaae, Sw. sl, Goth. slahan; perhaps akin to L. lacerare to tear to pieces, Gr. , E. lacerate. Cf. Slaughter, Sledge a hammer, Sley.
Wordforms
imperfect Slew ; past participle Slain ; present participle & verbal noun Slaying
Definitions
  1. To put to death with a weapon, or by violence; hence, to kill; to put an end to; to destroy.
    With this sword then will I slay you both. Chaucer.
    I will slay the last of them with the sword. Amos ix. 1.
    I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk. Shak.
    Syn. -- To kill; murder; slaughter; butcher.

Webster 1913