| 1. killing of an animal; brutal killing of a person; mass killing of animals or humans, carnage, massacre; overwhelming defeat (Informal). butcher an animal; murder a person; indiscriminately kill a large number of people or animals, massacre; defeat overwhelmingly (Informal). slaughterslaughter , n. [oe. slautir, slaughter, slaghter, icel. slātr slain flesh, modified by oe. slaught, slaht, slaughter, fr. as. sleaht a stroke, blow; both from the root of e. slay. see: slay, v. t., and cf. onslaught.] the act of killing. specifically: (a) the extensive, violent, bloody, or wanton destruction of life; carnage. on war and mutual slaughter bent. (b) the act of killing cattle or other beasts for market |
