Slay

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /sleɪ/

Definitions

1. To kill someone or something by violent or deliberate means ; to impress or astonish others greatly with charm or skill
2. To cause the death of a person or creature through forceful action ; to captivate or overwhelm an audience or individuals with exceptional talent or style
3. To put an end to life by aggressive or intentional acts ; to receive strong admiration or praise for outstanding performance or appearance

Etymology: Old English "slēan" meant "to hit, strike," and its earliest sense was physical blows rather than killing. The killing sense grew out of that striking meaning, which is why the modern verb still covers both murder and violent force. Its family tree is remarkably wide: German "schlagen," Dutch "slaan," Swedish "slå," and Icelandic "slá" all still mean "to beat" or "to hit," and the same ancient root sits behind "slaughter" and "onslaught." The slang sense is the surprise. Among its variants, "to slay" as praise, meaning to dazzle an audience with a performance or outfit, is a much later extension of the killing sense, where overwhelming someone with skill is imagined as knocking them flat. The word moved from literal violence to the stage and the street, and it is the same verb throughout.

Synonyms: kill, murder, execute, dispatch, destroy

Antonyms: save, spare, protect, preserve, rescue