KILL OFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does kill off mean? 

• KILL OFF (verb)
  The verb KILL OFF has 1 sense:

1. kill en masse; kill on a large scale; kill many

  Familiarity information: KILL OFF used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• KILL OFF (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Kill en masse; kill on a large scale; kill many

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

exterminate; kill off

Context example:

Hitler wanted to exterminate the Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and homosexuals of Europe

Hypernyms (to "kill off" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to kill off the prisoners

 Context examples 

The patients first underwent a less toxic regimen to kill off some of their marrow cells.

(Stem cell transplant reverses sickle cell disease in adults, NIH)

But our best hope, it was decided, was to kill off the buccaneers until they either hauled down their flag or ran away with the HISPANIOLA.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He that can smile at death, as we know him; who can flourish in the midst of diseases that kill off whole peoples.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)