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Thesaurus: massacre

The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day.

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Definitions

  1. n. The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day.
  2. n. Murder.
  3. n. To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the usages of nations; to butcher; to slaughter; -- limited to the killing of human beings.
  4. n. the savage and excessive killing of many people
  5. v. kill a large number of people indiscriminately
  6. 1. The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day. 2. Murder. [Obs.] Shak. Syn. -- Massacre, Butchery, Carnage. Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain. I'll find a day to massacre them all, And raze their faction and their family. Shak. If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, Brhold this pattern of thy butcheries. Shak. Such a scent I draw Of carnage, prey innumerable ! Milton. To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the usages of nations; to butcher; to slaughter; -- limited to the killing of human beings. If James should be pleased to massacre them all, as Maximian had massacred the Theban legion. Macaulay.
  7. To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can notbe made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, andcontrary to the usages of nations; to butcher; to slaughter; --limited to the killing of human beings.If James should be pleased to massacre them all, as Maximian hadmassacred the Theban legion. Macaulay.
  8. v:18/n:82 v. kill a large number of people indiscriminately