slaughter
slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters
Slaughter refers to the killing of large numbers of animals or people. When cattle are old enough, they're sent to slaughter and their meat is processed and shipped to stores.
The noun slaughter was first used in the 1300s and comes from the Old Norse word slahtr, which also described the mass killing of animals or people. A verb form came along later, in the 1530s. You might hear slaughter used to describe the killing of large numbers of people in a war, a genocide, or a massacre. It also can be used figuratively to describe a crushing defeat, like the slaughter of your basketball team by your bitter rivals.
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the killing of animals (as for food)
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type of:
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kill, killing, putting to death
the act of terminating a life
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kill, killing, putting to death
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the savage and excessive killing of many people
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synonyms:
butchery, carnage, mass murder, massacre
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examples:
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Alamo
a siege and massacre at a mission in San Antonio in 1836; Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico
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Battle of the Little Bighorn
a battle in Montana near the Little Bighorn River between United States cavalry under Custer and several groups of Native Americans (1876); Custer was pursuing Sioux led by Sitting Bull; Custer underestimated the size of the Sioux forces (which were supported by Cheyenne warriors) and was killed along with all his command
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types:
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battue, bloodbath, bloodletting, bloodshed
indiscriminate slaughter
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Alamo
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a sound defeat
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kill (animals) usually for food consumption
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kill a large number of people indiscriminately
Vocabulary lists containing slaughter
Choose the Spelling Bee activity to practice spelling these words.
This list covers "Pride and Perseverance," "Ode to the Selfie," and "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
As he begins his third year at Hogwarts, Harry learns that the notorious Sirius Black has escaped from prison — and might be after Harry. Learn these words from the third novel in J.K. Rowling's wildly popular fantasy series.
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