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Slaughtering - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Slaughtering means killing animals for food or other purposes, often in large numbers. It can also refer to brutally killing people, typically in a violent or merciless manner.

slaughtering

/ˈslɔtərɪŋ/ /ˈslɔːtərɪŋ/

Definition:

Killing animals for food or in large numbers, often brutally.

Synonyms:

butchering, killing, massacring, exterminating

Part of Speech:

noun, verb (gerund/present participle)

Antonyms:

sparing, saving

Common Collocations:

slaughtering animals, slaughtering innocents, slaughtering cattle, slaughtering process

Derivatives:

slaughterer, slaughters, slaughtered

Usage Tips:

Use "slaughtering" for systematic or brutal killing; avoid for casual contexts like hunting.

Common Phrases:

like lambs to the slaughter, slaughter of the innocents

Etymology:

From Old Norse "slátr," meaning butcher's meat; related to "slay."

Examples:

  • 1. The farmer began slaughtering pigs for the winter harvest.
  • 2. The documentary exposed the brutal slaughtering of elephants for ivory.
  • 3. They protested against the inhumane slaughtering methods at the factory farm.
  • 4. Slaughtering innocent civilians is a war crime under international law.

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