/ English Dictionary |
ASSASSINATE
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they assassinate ... he / she / it assassinates
Past simple: assassinated
-ing form: assassinating
Sense 1
Meaning:
Destroy or damage seriously, as of someone's reputation
Example:
He assassinated his enemy's character
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "assassinate" is one way to...):
asperse; besmirch; calumniate; defame; denigrate; slander; smear; smirch; sully (charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Derivation:
assassination (an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Murder; especially of socially prominent persons
Example:
Anwar Sadat was assassinated because many people did not like his peace politics with Israel
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "assassinate" is one way to...):
kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
assassin (a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed)
assassination (murder of a public figure by surprise attack)
assassinator (a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed)