slay

/ˈslā/

Middle English slen, from Old English slēan to strike, slay; akin to Old High German slahan to strike, Middle Irish slachta stricken

verb

  1. to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers; broadly : to strike down : kill

  2. to delight or amuse immensely

  3. to do something or perform exceptionally well or impressively : to be exceptionally impressive

slay the enemy

kill slay murder assassinate dispatch execute mean to deprive of life. kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner. slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.