- archaic or literary to kill, esp violently
- (also intr) slang to impress or amuse greatly
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
slay /sleɪ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], slew/slu/USA pronunciation slain/sleɪn/USA pronunciation slay•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to kill by violence:to slay the enemy.
- Informal Terms[Slang.]to impress strongly;
overwhelm, esp. by humor:Your jokes slay me.
slay
(slā),USA pronunciation v., slew, slain, slay•ing, n.
v.t.
v.i.
n.
slay′a•ble, adj.
slay′er, n.
v.t.
- to kill by violence.
- to destroy;
extinguish. - sley.
- Informal Termsto impress strongly;
overwhelm, esp. by humor:Your jokes slay me. - [Obs.]to strike.
v.i.
- to kill or murder.
n.
- sley.
- bef. 900; Middle English sleen, slayn, Old English slēan; cognate with Dutch slaan, German schlagen, Old Norse slā, Gothic slahan to strike, beat
slay′er, n.
- 1. murder, slaughter, massacre, butcher, assassinate. 2. annihilate, ruin.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
slay /sleɪ/ vb (slays, slaying, slew, slain) (transitive)
'slaying' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):