electrocution
/i,lektrə'kju:ʃn/
Definition
- Noun:
- The act of killing someone by electric shock: This refers specifically to causing death through the application of a powerful electric current to the body.
- The condition of being killed by electric shock: This describes the fatal event or the cause of death itself.
Usage
The word "electrocution" is used to describe a fatal incident involving electricity. It is a formal term often found in legal, medical, safety, and news contexts. It implies a deliberate execution method or a fatal accident.
Examples
- As a noun:
- The faulty wiring in the old building led to his accidental electrocution.
- The state used electrocution as a method of execution for decades.
- Safety regulations are designed to prevent worker electrocution on construction sites.
Advanced Usage
- "Risk of electrocution": A common phrase used in warnings to indicate a danger where fatal electric shock is possible.
- Do not use electrical appliances near water due to the risk of electrocution.
Variants and Related Words
- Electrocute (verb): To kill or execute by electricity.
- The prisoner was electrocuted at midnight.
- He was nearly electrocuted when he touched the live wire.
Synonyms
- Electric shock death: A more descriptive, less formal synonym.
- Execution by electricity: A formal synonym specifically for the judicial act.
Different Meanings
The core meaning of "electrocution" is always fatal. For non-fatal incidents involving electric shock, the correct terms are "electric shock" or "electrical injury." - Correct for non-fatal: He survived a severe electric shock. - Incorrect for non-fatal: He survived an electrocution. (This is logically contradictory, as electrocution means death.)
Idioms and Phrases
- "To be a recipe for electrocution": Used to describe a situation or action that is extremely likely to cause a fatal electric shock.
- Mixing those exposed wires with the flooded basement is a recipe for electrocution.
Noun
-
killing by electric shock
-
execution by electricity
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