Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913
Slaughter
Slaugh′ter (sla̤′tẽr), n. [OE. slautir, slaughter, slaghter, Icel. slātr 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.] 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.
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.