murder
gb/mˈɚdɚ/ us/mˈɚdɚ/
B1
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Unlawful killing of a person
The act of killing someone on purpose and illegally.
Usage pattern:
commit [a/the] murder
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'murder' with 'kill'. 'Kill' can be legal or accidental, while 'murder' means it was illegal and intentional.
Synonyms
homicide (A more formal or legal term used especially in American English.)
Antonyms
acquittal (Legal term for being found not guilty, which is the opposite legal outcome to being convicted of murder.)
Collocations
commit murder
|first-degree murder
|murder investigation
|attempted murder
|murder charge
Themes
law
|crime
|violence
|health
Examples
- The police arrested him for the brutal murder of a local shopkeeper.
- She was found guilty of murder after a three-week trial.
- The documentary explores a famous unsolved murder from the 1970s.
- He was charged with attempted murder but later acquitted.
Learner examples
- The man went to prison for murder.
- Murder is against the law.
- The police are looking for the person who did the murder.
- She is in court for murder.
Verb
B1
action
2
To unlawfully kill someone intentionally
To kill someone on purpose and illegally.
Usage pattern:
murder [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'murder' for killing animals. In normal English, 'murder' is almost always used for people.
Synonyms
slay (Often used in literary or dramatic contexts; can also mean to kill in battle.)
Antonyms
save (To prevent someone from dying, which is the opposite of murdering them.)
Collocations
murder in cold blood
|murder someone
|murdered brutally
Themes
law
|crime
|violence
|health
Examples
- He was accused of murdering his neighbor.
- The detective suspected she had murdered her business partner.
- They believe the victim was murdered sometime last night.
Learner examples
- He murdered the king.
- The man murdered his wife.
- The soldier murdered an innocent person.
Noun
B2
entity
3
A group of crows
A special name for a group of crows.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'murder' here means killing; in this usage, it does not refer to violence but is just a collective noun for crows.
Synonyms
flock (General term for a group of birds, not specific to crows.)
Collocations
a murder of crows
Themes
animals
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A murder of crows gathered in the field.
- We watched a murder of crows circle above the trees.
- The sound of a murder of crows filled the air.
Learner examples
- I saw a murder of crows in the park.
- A murder of crows is flying over the house.
- There is a murder of crows near the river.
Grammar
Dictionary form
murder
IPA
GB/mˈɚdɚ/
US/mˈɚdɚ/
Syllables & stress
murder (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (murder)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: murder
- Plural: murder, murders
Verb
- Base: murder
- 3rd Person Singular: murders
- Present Participle: murdering
- Past: murdered
Word family
Expressions
commit murder
1/kəmˈɪt mˈɚdɚ/
fixed phrase
To carry out an unlawful killing
To kill someone on purpose and illegally.
Examples
- He was arrested for committing murder.
- Anyone who commits murder will face severe punishment.
get away with murder
1/ɡˈɛt əwˈeɪ wˈɪθ mˈɚdɚ/
idiom
informal
Escape punishment for serious wrongdoing
To do something very bad and not be punished for it.
Examples
- He lies to his boss all the time and gets away with murder.
- Some celebrities seem to get away with murder because they are famous.
murder in cold blood
1/mˈɚdɚ ˈɪn kˈoʊld blˈʌd/
fixed phrase
Kill deliberately without emotion
To kill someone in a calm and planned way, without showing feelings.
Examples
- The victim was murdered in cold blood.
- He murdered his rival in cold blood after weeks of planning.
attempted murder
3/ətˈɛmptɪd mˈɚdɚ/
fixed phrase
Crime of trying but failing to kill someone
A crime when someone tries but fails to kill another person.
Examples
- He was arrested for attempted murder after the attack.
- She was charged with attempted murder after attacking her neighbor.
- Attempted murder carries a long prison sentence.
- The suspect is facing an attempted murder charge.