assassinate
UK /əˈsæsɪneɪt/ · US /əˈsæs(ə)nˌeɪt/ verb, noun
Forms assassinates assassinating assassinated
- verb (transitive) To murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons.
- verb (figuratively) To harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack. “He assassinated his rival's character.”
- noun (obsolete) Assassination, murder.
- noun (obsolete) An assassin.
Synonyms
erase hit murder annihilate bag baptize bereave of life blight bring down bump off bury cack compromised to a permanent end croak crush dash deactivate dead demolish destroy
Etymology
From assassin + -ate, after Middle French assassiner.
From assassin + -ate (noun-forming suffix).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To kill by surprise or secret assault; to murder by treacherous violence.
- verb To assail with murderous intent; hence, by extended meaning, to maltreat exceedingly. [Archaic]
- noun An assassination, murder, or murderous assault. [Obs.]
- noun An assassin. [Obs.] Dryden.
Etymology [LL. assassinatus, p. p. of assassinare.]
Etymology [F. assassinat.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “assassinate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details