Killed
/kɪld/
Definitions
3 meaningsTo cause the death of a living being.
/kɪld/
To cause the death of a person or animal.
The lion killed the zebra.
💡 Simply: When someone or something dies because of something else, like when a cat catches a mouse. It's a pretty serious thing, so we usually use it when talking about taking a life.
👶 For kids: To make something stop living.
More Examples
He was accused of killing his business partner.
The disease killed many people.
How It's Used
"The hunter killed the deer."
"The suspect was accused of killing his neighbor."
To put an end to; destroy or terminate.
/kɪld/
To destroy or put an end to something.
The storm killed the electricity.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, 'killed' can mean to end something, like when a mistake ruins an opportunity or a new law makes a business fail. It's like ending something, not just a life.
👶 For kids: To make something stop working or happening.
More Examples
That comment killed the conversation.
The high taxes killed the company's profit.
How It's Used
"The politician's gaffe killed his chances of winning."
"The new regulations killed the small business."
To experience something very intensely, or to succeed extremely well.
/kɪld/
To achieve or succeed in
The band killed it at the concert.
💡 Simply: Sometimes people use “killed” to say something was really successful, like if a joke made everyone laugh a lot. It’s an exaggerated way of saying it was really good.
👶 For kids: To make something really good, like a joke.
More Examples
Her performance killed!
That new recipe killed.
How It's Used
"That joke killed!"
Synonyms
Assassinate
Destroy
Eliminate
Execute
Abolish
End
Conquer
Excel
Idioms & expressions
kill two birds with one stone
To achieve two things at the same time.
"By walking to work, she kills two birds with one stone: she gets exercise and saves money."
dead-killed
Something that causes to be completely dead or extinct.
"The project was dead-killed when the funding ran out."
From Middle English *killen*, from Old English *cyllan* ('to kill, strike, slay'), from Proto-Germanic *kuljaną* ('to kill'). Related to *cwēlan* ('to kill, torment').
The word has been used since Old English with its core meaning largely unchanged, though its application has broadened over time.
Memory tip
Think of the action of taking life away.