massacre Hear it!

massacre Definition

mas·sa·cre (masə kər)

noun

    1. the indiscriminate, merciless killing of a number of human beings
    2. a large-scale slaughter of animals
  1. Informal an overwhelming defeat, as in sports

Etymology: Fr < OFr maçacre, macecle, butchery, shambles < ?

transitive verb -·cred-kərd, -·cring-kər iŋ, -kriŋ

  1. to kill indiscriminately and mercilessly and in large numbers
  2. Informal to defeat overwhelmingly

massacre Related Forms
mas·sa·crer (-kər ər, -krər) noun
massacre Synonyms

massacre

n.

butchering, killing, slaughter; see carnage, murder. See syn. study at slaughter.

massacre Synonyms

massacre

v.

massacre Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • civilian: The silence of the " left " of New Labor on the massacre of civilians in Iraq by American occupation forces says it all.
  • innocent: Feature writers were dispatched to Warrington to provide a stream of copy about the " massacre of the innocents.
  • inhabitant: Informal frontier police organizations like the Paxton Boys were efficient for the massacre of the tribal inhabitants of an isolated village like Conestoga.
  • hundred: The massacre of hundreds of men, women and children in Fallujah shows the casual disregard that the occupying forces have for human lives.

Object

  • inhabitant: The army of Queen Boudicca army burned Londinium to the ground and massacred the 25,000 inhabitants who had not fled.

Converse of object

  • perpetrate: And yet, oblivious to the technological massacre perpetrated in the room, the modem sits there smiling.
  • condemn: Rather than condemn the massacres of Kurds, the US escalated its support for Iraq.
  • commit: Each group wanted to commit a massacre, a spectacular action to prove its force.
  • survive: Did the 17-year-old Anastasia survive the massacre of the Russian royal family in 1917?
  • justify: Not even the Greeks would claim the divine inspiration of Greek nationalism, and few would now justify the massacres.

Adjective modifier

  • Armenian: The Armenian massacres were the disgrace of the 19th century no less than of the 20th.
  • horrific: Friend aware that 10 years have passed since the horrific massacre of a teacher and children at Dunblane?
  • alleged: On Thursday the Ten O'Clock News obtained pictures of an alleged massacre in Iraq.
  • bloody: US troops had been accused of a bloody massacre over the killings of the 13 Iraqis outside the school on Monday.

Noun used with modifier

  • chainsaw: It was much better than the texas chainsaw massacre.
  • chain: The Painted Lady - chain massacre saw story texas true San Marcos Foot Clinic, Dr. .. .
massacre Quotes

This idea of weapons of mass extermination is utterly horrible, and is something that no one with a spark of humanity can tolerate. I will not pretend to obeya Government that is organizing a mass massacre of mankind.

—Russell, Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl

Soap and education are not as suddenas a massacre, but theyare more deadly in the long run.

—Twain, Mark pseudonym of  Samuel Langhorne Clemens