murderous

comparative more murderous · superlative most murderous · alternative murtherous

1. Of, characterized by, or pertaining to murder or murderers.

   While Harley had been in no way responsible for Pelton's murderous attack upon Yesler, public opinion held him to account.

   1909, William MacLeod Raine, chapter 18, in Ridgway of Montana

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   Aſſaſſinat: m. A murther, or murtherous act committed for gaine, or in hope of a revvard; alſo, a ſuddaine aſſault, made of ſet purpoſe, and vvith a murtherous intent, although th' aſſaulted be not killed.

   1611, Randle Cotgrave, compiler, “Assassinat”, in A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, signature G, recto, column 2

   Every time I heard the bell strike, that denotes the time on board a ship, I full of terror counted the hours until four o'clock; feeling sure that when that hour came, my enemies would begin their murderous attack.

   1878 October, “A Tussle with Yellow Jack”, in G[eorge] Bampfield, editor, S. Andrew’s Magazine, volume I, number 10, London: Burns & Oates, […], →OCLC, page 1

   [O]ne minute this "Jihadi John" was struggling to get by, and get accepted, in drizzly England, unemployed with a mortgage to pay and a chip on his shoulder, and the next he stands in brilliant Levantine sunlight, where everything is clear and etched, at the vanguard of some Sunni Risorgimento intent on subjecting the world to its murderous brand of Wahhabi Islam.

   2014 November 17, Roger Cohen, “The horror! The horror! The trauma of ISIS [print version: International New York Times, 18 November 2014, page 9]”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Aug 2017

2. Of a person: intending or likely to commit murder; bloodthirsty, homicidal.

   murderous behaviour

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   She gave me a murderous look.

   Is any man loth to leave his priſon? or to remove his dwelling from cruel enemies? or to ſcape the hands of murderous robbers? Do we take the world indeed for our priſon? our cruel, ſpoyling, murderous foe? and yet we are loth to leave it?

   1659, Richard Baxter, “Reproving Our Unwillingness to Die”, in The Saints Everlasting Rest: Or, A Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in Their Enjoyment of God in Glory. […], 8th edition, London: […] Thomas Underhill and Francis Tyton, […], →OCLC, part IV, section V, page 603

   De Salez her Husband ſtriving and ſtrugling for life againſt the pangs of death; fear and haſt (contrary to her intent and mind) had ſo made his murtherous wifes hand ſhake and tremble, as ſhe did not ſo fully cut his throat-bole, but he could yet both cry and groan, which he did very mournfully, and which indeed was ſoon over-heard by a man and a maid-ſervant of his, […]

   1662, John Reynolds, “History XI”, in The Triumphs of Gods Revenge against the Crying and Execrable Sin of Murther. […] Book III, London: […] A. M. for William Lee, […], →OCLC, page 152

   Adam alſo was the High Prieſt, and received Authority from God, to teach the ſucceeding Generations of Men how to worſhip God, and what Sacrifices were to be offered by Cain and Abel, and all Poſterity. By which Sacrifices were brought into all Nations, to apply the Blood of the Lamb, ſlain from the foundation of the World, in the unalterable Purpoſes of God, to the Conſciences of all Men for the Remiſſion of their Sins, and to Excommunicate murderous Cain from the preſence of the Lord, […]

   1711, Obedience to Civil Government Clearly Stated: […], London: […] George Strahan, […], →OCLC, page 34

   Synonyms: assassinous · Antonyms: nonmurderous, unmurderous

3. figurativelyoftenOf an object: used to commit murder; capable of causing death; deadly, fatal.

   In street fighting at close quarters a gun of this kind is very murderous and ought to do a terrible amount of destruction.

   1912, George A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter XXI, in The Red Hand of Ulster, London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC, page 255

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   The rapid ſquadrons ſwift as thought engage, / And ſeek the hoſtile troops who ſhun their rage, / 'Midſt the thick clouds which ſmoak and duſt afford / With dreadful luſtre gleams the murderous ſword; […]

   1782, [Frederick the Great], “Book VI”, in [anonymous], transl., The Art of War; […] Translated from the French of the King of Prussia, 2nd edition, London: […] G. Riley, […], →OCLC, page 56

   In neceſſary ſelf-defence men have a right to kill their aſſailants. But duelling is unlawful and murderous, a remain of the ancient Gothic barbarity.

   1796, John Brown, “Of the Law of Nature”, in A Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Religion. […], 2nd edition, Edinburgh: […] Murray & Cochrane, →OCLC, book I (Of the Regulating Standard of Religion, Natural and Revealed), page 25

   Antonyms: nonmurderous, unmurderous

4. broadlyVery difficult.

   a murderous exam

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   conditions were murderous

   Synonyms: killing, arduous, challenging, nasty, difficult, sticky, effortful, hard · Antonyms: as a duck takes to water, basic, easy, prosaic, no-fuss, easy as 123, easy as ABC, easy as cake