Category:Slaughter

Slaugh"ter, n. Etym: [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.]

Defn: 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.

Slaughter Slaugh"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaughtered; p. pr. & vb. n. Slaughtering.]

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.