assassination

/ə,sæsi'neiʃn/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The murder of a prominent or important person, such as a political leader, typically by a sudden or secret attack, often for political or ideological reasons. This is the primary meaning, focusing on the targeted killing of a public figure.
    • The act of killing someone suddenly or secretively, especially a politically motivated murder.
    • A malicious verbal attack intended to destroy or damage a person's reputation. This is a figurative, secondary meaning, equating character destruction with a physical killing.
Examples of Usage

  • Noun (Literal Meaning):

    • The assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 shocked the world.
    • The plot was discovered before the assassination could be carried out.
    • Security was increased following the attempted assassination of the ambassador.

  • Noun (Figurative Meaning):

    • The article was a vicious character assassination, filled with lies and insinuations.
    • In politics, assassination of one's opponent's reputation is a common tactic.
Advanced Usage
  • "Character assassination": A sustained, deliberate effort to damage someone's reputation or credibility.
    • The campaign devolved into a series of character assassinations rather than a debate on policy.
Variants and Related Words
  • Assassinate (verb): To murder (a prominent person) by sudden or secret attack.
    • The dictator was assassinated by a member of his own guard.
  • Assassin (noun): A person who commits an assassination.
    • The assassin was captured hours after the attack.
Synonyms
  • Murder (noun/verb): The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. (More general; "assassination" is a specific type of murder.)
  • Execution (noun): The carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person. (Implies a formal, often state-sanctioned killing, unlike the secretive nature of an assassination.)
  • Liquidation (noun): The killing of someone, typically an enemy or a political opponent. (Often used in a political or espionage context.)
Related Phrases
  • Political assassination: An assassination carried out for political motives.
    • The history of the region is marked by a series of political assassinations.
  • Failed/attempted assassination: An unsuccessful effort to assassinate someone.
    • He survived three attempted assassinations during his rule.
Noun
  1. murder of a public figure by surprise attack
  2. an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation

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