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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Kill: Meaning, Usage, and Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：cause death (kill)

kill 🔊

/kɪl/

To cause someone or something to die.

cause death 🔊

➕

/kɔːz dɛθ/

To cause the death of a living being, intentionally or unintentionally.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'cwellan' (to kill), related to German 'quälen' (to torment).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a 'k' slicing through 'ill' — to end life or stop something.

📖 Example

To protect the crops, farmers sometimes have to kill pests in a quick and humane way. 🔊 In order to protect crops, farmers sometimes need to kill pests quickly and humanely.

🔗 Collocations

kill pests – eliminate harmful insects

kill weeds – destroy unwanted plants

kill bacteria – destroy microorganisms

🔄 Synonyms

murder (v.) – Intentionally cause the death of another person

slay (v.) – Kill in a violent way, often in battle or as a heroic act

execute (v.) – Kill someone as a legal punishment

🚫 Antonyms

save (v.) – Keep someone alive or rescue from danger

rescue (v.) – Save someone from a dangerous situation

protect (v.) – Keep someone safe from harm or injury

🌱 Derivatives

killer (n.) – One who kills

killing (adj.) – Causing death; also informal: very tiring

killable (adj.) – Capable of being killed

📖 Cultural Story

Old English 'cwellan' evolved into 'kill'. Its sense of causing death expanded to figurative uses like 'kill time' and 'kill the mood' by the 17th century.

Meaning 2：be very painful or tiring (kill)

kill 🔊

/kɪl/

Used informally to say something makes you very tired, hurts a lot, or is extremely annoying.

Kill meaning very painful: exhausted person slumped on sofa

be very painful or tiring 🔊

➕

/biː ˈvɛri ˈpeɪnfəl ɔːr ˈtaɪərɪŋ/

To cause extreme pain, discomfort, or fatigue, often used hyperbolically.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

My feet are killing me after walking around the city all day shopping. 🔊 After walking around the city shopping all day, my feet are extremely painful.

🔗 Collocations

my back is killing me – my back is causing me severe pain

this heat is killing me – this heat is extremely uncomfortable

the suspense is killing me – I am very anxious due to the suspense

🔄 Synonyms

torture (v.) – Cause great physical or mental pain

torment (v.) – Cause severe suffering, often mental

agonize (v.) – Cause someone to suffer extreme pain or anxiety

🚫 Antonyms

relieve (v.) – Alleviate pain or discomfort

soothe (v.) – Calm or reduce pain

ease (v.) – Make less severe or painful