Library / English Dictionary

ASSASSINATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Destroy or damage seriously, as of someone's reputation

Example:

He assassinated his enemy's character

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "assassinate" is one way to...):

asperse; besmirch; calumniate; defame; denigrate; slander; smear; smirch; sully (charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

assassination (an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Murder; especially of socially prominent persons

Example:

Anwar Sadat was assassinated because many people did not like his peace politics with Israel

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "assassinate" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

assassin (a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed)

assassination (murder of a public figure by surprise attack)

assassinator (a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed)

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