slewˈslü also especially in sense 2 slayed; slainˈslān ; slaying; slays
1
transitive: to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers
slay the enemy
This was the appearance of a dreadful epidemic which in that age, and long before and afterward, was wont to slay its hundreds and thousands on both sides of the Atlantic. Nathaniel Hawthorne
kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.
killed in an accident
frost killed the plants
slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.
slew thousands of the Philistines
murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.
convicted of murdering a rival
assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.
terrorists assassinated the Senator
dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.
dispatched the sentry with one bullet
execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.
executed by lethal gas
Example Sentences
The knight slew the dragon. millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Recent Examples on the WebWatch Jamie Foxx slay his Trump impression for Snoop below. Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2022 Wildlife enthusiasts are co-opting various social media platforms to build communities that promote accurate snake information and slay viral myths. Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2022 Fed chairman after chairman jousted and failed to slay the inflation dragon—or restore growth. Wsj Opinion Staff, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 Thanks to Ouidad, your curls will slay, rain or shine. Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 2 Aug. 2022 Pair it with long, silky waves and a smokey glam makeup look to slay the night away in true King Kylie fashion. Nitya Rao, Seventeen, 5 Aug. 2022 That’s a lot of waiting around in the clubhouse on days when there’s not much to do besides strike up a spirited game of table tennis, or watch José Ramírez slay the competition in Mario Kart. Joe Noga, cleveland, 21 July 2022 Of course, Bella knew with her *magical style intuition* that this hip tattoo moment would slay during her special night.Seventeen, 19 July 2022 As America's Got Talent season 17 continues to showcase incredible acts this summer, one thing is for certain: judge Sofía Vergara always knows how to slay the fashion game. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 12 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English slen, from Old English slēan to strike, slay; akin to Old High German slahan to strike, Middle Irish slachta stricken
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of slay was before the 12th century