— massacrer /mas"euh kreuhr/ , n.
/mas"euh keuhr/ , n. , v. , massacred, massacring .
n.
1. the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.
2. a general slaughter, as of persons or animals: the massacre of millions during the war.
3. Informal. a crushing defeat, esp. in sports.
v.t.
4. to kill unnecessarily and indiscriminately, esp. a large number of persons.
5. Informal. to defeat decisively, esp. in sports.
[ 1575-85; (n.) massacre, n. deriv. of massacrer, OF maçacrer, macecler, prob. matteucculare, v. deriv. of * matteuca mallet (see MASHIE, MACE 1 ); (v.) massacrer ]
Syn. 1, 2. carnage, extermination, butchery, genocide. 4. slay. See slaughter .