English Lexicon

Slay

/sleɪ/
verbCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As verb
  1. 1

    To kill or destroy in a violent manner.

    "The knight vowed to slay the dragon that threatened the village."
  2. 2

    To impress greatly; to perform exceptionally well.

    "She really slayed her performance at the talent show."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Synonyms (3)
Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'slay' originates from the Old English 'slægan', meaning 'to strike, kill, or put to death'. Its roots can be traced back to Proto-Germanic '*slahan', which has evolved over centuries to encompass both literal and figurative meanings in modern English.

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