murder

Etymology

From Middle English murder, murdre, mourdre, alteration of earlier murthre (“murder”) (see murther), from Old English morþor (“secret slaying, unlawful killing”) and Old English myrþra (“murder, homicide”), both from Proto-West Germanic *morþr, from Proto-Germanic *murþrą (“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tro- (“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr̥- (“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 (maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord (“murder”), Old Norse morð (“murder”), Old English myrþrian (“to murder”) and morþ. The -d- in the Middle English form may have been influenced in part by Anglo-Norman murdre, from Old French murdre, from Medieval Latin murdrum (whence the English doublet of murdrum), from Frankish *morþr, *murþr (“murder”), from the same Germanic root, though this may also have been wholly the result of internal development (compare burden, from burthen).

noun

1. (uncountable) The crime of deliberately killing a person without moral justification.
   The defendant was charged with murder.
   One of the most urgent tasks facing me after 1 assumed office was to assure the country that everything possible was being done to uncover the truth surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy. John Kennedy had been murdered, and a troubled, puzzled, and outraged nation wanted to know the facts. 1971, Lyndon Johnson, “"I feel like I have already been here a year"”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 25
   Reggie Clemons has one last chance to save his life. After 19 years on death row in Missouri for the murder of two young women, he has been granted a final opportunity to persuade a judge that he should be spared execution by lethal injection. 21 August 2012, Ed Pilkington, “Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”, in The Guardian
   Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.[…]One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful. 2013-07-20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
   1. (uncountable, law, in jurisdictions which use the felony murder rule) The act of committing or abetting a serious crime that results in the killing of a person, regardless of intent; felony murder.
2. (countable) The act of deliberate killing of a person or other being without moral justification, especially with malice aforethought.
   There have been ten unsolved murders this year alone.
   The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff. 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings
   It may be guessed, indeed, that this was the original form of the story, the fairy being the addition of those who considered Jack's thefts from (and murder of) the giant to be scarcely justified without her. 1984, Humphrey Carpenter, Mari Prichard, The Oxford companion to children's literature, page 275
   Life is cheap, never forget it. Corporations make marketing decisions by weighing the cost of being sued for your death against the cost of making the product safer. Your life is a factor in cost-effectiveness. So when you talk about murder, don't confine your discussion to individuals. 1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 177
   Captain Sulu, who served under the legendary James T. Kirk for many years, disobeys Starfleet orders in order to try and help Kirk and another old shipmate, Dr. McCoy, who have been imprisoned for the murder of the Klingon chancellor. 2003, Paul Ruditis, Star Trek Voyager: Companion, page 131
   Dr. Herrera also knew Hemingway had held Batista's army personally responsible for the brutal murders of his dogs, Blackie (Black Dog) and Machakos. 2011, Carlene Brennen, Hemingway's Cats, page 161
3. (uncountable, used as a predicative noun) Something terrible to endure.
   This headache is murder.
4. (countable, collective) A group of crows; the collective noun for crows.
   For his part, Melchior was growing unhappy with the murder of crows. They had been patiently following Arthur for hours, trailing him from town to country. 1995, Deepak Chopra, The Return of Merlin: A Novel, page 108
   Without the murder of crows roosting in its branches, Nevermore Tree looked as bare as a skeleton. 2001, Daniel Handler, The Vile Village, page 76
5. (dated slang) Something remarkable or impressive.
   Altaira Morbius: [swimming in a pool] Come on in. Commander Adams: I didn't bring my bathing suit. Altaira Morbius: What's a bathing suit? Commander Adams: [quickly turning his back] Oh, murder! 1956, Cyril Hume, Forbidden Planet

verb

1. To deliberately kill (a person or persons) without justification, especially with malice aforethought.
   The woman found dead in her kitchen was murdered by her husband.
2. (transitive, sports, figurative, colloquial, hyperbolic) To defeat decisively.
   Our team is going to murder them.
3. (figurative, colloquial, hyperbolic) To kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).
   He's torn my best shirt. When I see him, I'll murder him!
4. To botch or mangle.
   Dr. Caius, the Frenchman in the play, and Evans the Welshman, "Gallia et Guallia," succeed pretty well in their efforts to murder the language. 1892, William Shepard Walsh, Handy-book of Literary Curiosities, page 293
5. (figurative, colloquial, Britain) To devour, ravish.
   I could murder a hamburger right now.