murder

[mur-der]

noun

1. Law.,  the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson first-degree murder, ormurder one, and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation second-degree murder, ormurder two.

2. Slang.,  something extremely difficult or perilous.

   That final exam was murder!

3. a group or flock of crows.

verb (used with object)

1. Law.,  to kill by an act constituting murder.

2. to kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously.

3. to spoil or mar by bad performance, representation, pronunciation, etc..

   The tenor murdered the aria.

verb (used without object)

1. to commit murder.

murder

/ ˈmɜːdə /

noun

1. the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another Compare manslaughter homicide

2. informal,  something dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant

   driving around London is murder

3. informal,  to make an outcry

4. informal,  to escape censure; do as one pleases

verb

1. (also intr) to kill (someone) unlawfully with premeditation or during the commission of a crime

2. to kill brutally

3. informal,  to destroy; ruin

   he murdered her chances of happiness

4. informal,  to defeat completely; beat decisively

   the home team murdered their opponents

Other Word Forms

• murderer noun
• murderess noun
• self-murder noun
• self-murdered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of murder¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mo(u)rdre, murder, variant (influenced by Old French murdre, from Germanic ) of murthre; murther

Word History and Origins

Origin of murder¹

Old English morthor; related to Old English morth, Old Norse morth, Latin mors death; compare French meurtre

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. yell / scream bloody murder,

   1. to scream loudly in pain, fear, etc.

   2. to protest loudly and angrily.

      If I don't get a good raise I'm going to yell bloody murder.

2. murder will out, a secret will eventually be exposed.

3. get away with murder, to engage in a deplorable activity without incurring harm or punishment.

   The new baby-sitter lets the kids get away with murder.

More idioms and phrases containing murder

• get away with (murder)
• scream bloody murder

Synonym Study

See kill ¹.

Example Sentences

They were found guilty at the Old Bailey of murder on 16 July.

From BBC

A 40-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two women died in London five months apart.

From BBC

San Bernardino County coroner officials have identified the remains found underneath the home of a man suspected of murder a husband and wife at a nudist resort as those of the couple.

From Los Angeles Times

A County Armagh village is "deep shock" after a man in his 40s was murdered on Thursday, a local councillor has said.

From BBC

Erin’s murder drove the A-plot, often weaving down the road through an obstacle course of misdirects and MacGuffins as the mystery of her life informed her death.

From Salon

Related Words

• assassinate 
• behead 
• butcher 
• decapitate 
• destroy 
• execute 
• exterminate 
• lynch 
• massacre 
• shoot 
• slaughter 
• slay 
• strangle 

When To Use

What’s the difference between murder and manslaughter?

Murder is the legal term for the intentional killing of someone or the killing of someone as the result of a complete disregard for their life. Manslaughter is the legal term for the act of killing someone without intending to, often in an accidental way.There are many specific conditions and interpretations surrounding what constitutes murder and manslaughter, and laws vary by location. The word murder is also commonly used in more general ways. In legal contexts, though, it’s typically used in a way that implies that the killing was intentional or the result of a complete disregard for the victim’s life, and this is the crucial difference between the words.In the U.S., manslaughter can be classified as voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary manslaughter often involves a person who kills someone through voluntary actions but without intending to harm them. For example, this could apply to a person who unintentionally kills someone during a fight after having been provoked to fight (especially when their actions are considered to go beyond those deemed appropriate for self-defense). Acts labeled as involuntary manslaughter are often reckless but accidental. For example, the term may be applied to a case in which a driver kills someone as a result of their reckless driving (this is sometimes specifically called vehicular manslaughter).On the other hand, a person who intentionally runs someone over with their car would likely be charged with murder (unless it involved self-defense). Many jurisdictions classify murders with different degrees. For example, if a person intentionally runs someone over with their car after having planned to do it (that is, after having premeditated it), the act would be called first-degree murder. However, if the killing was intentional but not premeditated, it would be called second-degree murder. Of course, the official charge is typically based on what can be proven during a trial.Here’s an example of murder and manslaughter used correctly in the same sentence.Example: The accused was originally charged with manslaughter because it appeared to be a reckless driving accident, but the charge was changed to first-degree murder when the police discovered journals in which the driver had written plans to kill the victim and make it look like an accident.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between murder and manslaughter.