Murder

Mur′der (mûr′dẽr), n. [OE. morder, morther, AS. morðor, fr. morð murder; akin to D. moord, OS. morð, G., Dan., & Sw. mord, Icel. morð, Goth. maúrþr, OSlav. mrēti to die, Lith. mirti, W. marw dead, L. mors, mortis, death, mori, moriri, to die, Gr. βροτός (for μροτός) mortal, ἄμβροτος immortal, Skr. mṛ to die, mṛta death. √105. Cf. Amaranth, Ambrosia, Mortal.] The offense of killing a human being with malice prepense or aforethought, express or implied; intentional and unlawful homicide. "Mordre will out." Chaucer.

The killing of their children had, in the account of God, the guilt of murder, as the offering them to idols had the guilt of idolatry. Locke.

Slaughter grows murder when it goes too far. Dryden.

☞ Murder in the second degree, in most jurisdictions, is a malicious homicide committed without a specific intention to take life. Wharton.

Mur′der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Murdered; p. pr. & vb. n. Murdering.] [OE. mortheren, murtheren, AS. myrðrian; akin to OHG. murdiren, Goth. maúrþrjan. See Murder, n.] 1. To kill with premediated malice; to kill (a human being) willfully, deliberately, and unlawfully. See Murder, n.

2. To destroy; to put an end to.

[Canst thou] murder thy breath in middle of a word? Shak.

3. To mutilate, spoil, or deform, as if with malice or cruelty; to mangle; as, to murder the king's English.

Syn. — To kill; assassinate; slay. See Kill.