Assassinate

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. An assassination, murder, or murderous assault. [Obs.] If I had made an assassinate upon your father. B. Jonson.

2. An assassin. [Obs.] Dryden.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To kill by surprise or secret assault; to murder by treacherous violence. Help, neighbors, my house is broken open by force, and I am ravished, and like to be assassinated. Dryden.

2. To assail with murderous intent; hence, by extended meaning, to maltreat exceedingly. [Archaic] Your rhymes assassinate our fame. Dryden. Such usage as your honorable lords Afford me, assassinated and betrayed. Milton.

Synonyms: kill; murder; slay. See Kill.