/ ˈslɔːtə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun [ U ]
1.
the killing of animals for their meat :
cows taken for slaughter
2.
the cruel killing of large numbers of people at one time, especially in a war
SYN massacre :
the wholesale slaughter of innocent people
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IDIOMS
see lamb noun
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to kill an animal, usually for its meat
SYN butcher
2.
to kill a large number of people or animals violently
SYN massacre :
Men, women and children were slaughtered and villages destroyed.
3.
( informal ) to defeat sb/sth by a large number of points in a sports game, competition, etc. :
We were slaughtered 10–1 by the home team.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as a noun): from Old Norse slátr butcher's meat; related to slay . The verb dates from the mid 16th cent.