assassinate

present singular third person assassinates · participle present assassinating · participle past assassinated · past assassinated

1. transitiveTo murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons.First known use 17th c.

   A Korean Communist selected as a vice chairman of the government for north Korea in the Russian occupied zone was assassinated as he was leaving a conference with Col. Gen. Chistjakoff, commander of the soviet 25th army, a Korean refugee said today.

   1945 September 14 [1945 September 12], “North Korean Leader Slain in Reign of Terror”, in Chicago Daily Tribune, volume CIV, number 221, page 3, column 5

   1 more example

   The Assassines, a nation depending of Phœnicia, are esteemed among the Mahometists[…]. And thus was our Earle Raymond of Tripoli murthered or assassinated (this word is borrowed from their name) in the middest of his Citie, during the time of our warres in the holy land[…].

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Vertue”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 408

   Synonyms: erase, hit, murder, annihilate, bag, baptize, bereave of life, blight

2. figurativelyTo harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack.

   He assassinated his rival's character.

   2 more examples

   Such uſage as your honourable Lords / Afford me aſſaſſinated and betray'd, […]

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 67

   But vvhen your Rhimes aſſaſſinate our Fame, / You hug your nauſeous, blund'ring Ballad-vvits, / And pay 'em as if Nonſence vvere a merit, / If it can mean but Treaſon.

   1682 December 15 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John] Dryden, [Nathaniel] Lee, The Duke of Guise. A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for R[ichard] Bentley […], and J[acob] Tonson […], published 1683, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 62

   Synonyms: besmirch, denigrate, traduce, asperse, backbite, badmouth, befoul, belibel

plural assassinates

1. obsoleteAssassination, murder.

   Mor. Why? if I had made an assassinate upon your Father; vitiated your Mother: ravished your Sisters― Tru. I would kill you, Sir, I would kill you, if you had. Mor. Why? you do more in this, Sir: it were a vengeance centuple, for all facinorous Acts, that could be nam'd, to do that you do.

2. obsoleteAn assassin.

   Yet again, many of them deſperat hairebraines, raſh, careleſſe, fit to be Aſſaſinates, as being voide of all Feare and Sorrow […]

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Symptomes of the minde”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 3, member 1, subsection 2, page 164