murdered

Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Killed unlawfully; slain, especially with premeditation or malice: Describes a person or living being whose death was caused by an unlawful, intentional, and often planned act of killing.
Usage
  • The adjective "murdered" is used to describe the victim of a homicide. It is typically placed before a noun (e.g., the murdered man) or used after a linking verb like "was" or "were" (e.g., He was murdered).
  • It carries a strong connotation of criminality and injustice, distinguishing it from more neutral terms like "killed" or "dead."
Examples
  • The murdered journalist was known for her investigative work.
  • Police are searching for clues at the home of the murdered couple.
  • She testified that she saw the murdered man arguing with another person.
  • The king was murdered in his sleep by a group of conspirators.
Advanced Usage
  • "Falsely murdered": A rare construction used to describe someone wrongfully accused of being a murder victim, often in contexts of deception or conspiracy theories.
    • The propaganda claimed the general was falsely murdered by his own troops.
  • Used in legal and journalistic contexts to specify the manner of death precisely and formally.
Variants and Related Words
  • Murder (n.): The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.
    • He was convicted of murder.
  • Murder (v.): To kill (someone) unlawfully and with premeditation.
    • He plotted to murder his business partner.
  • Murderer (n.): A person who commits murder.
  • Murderous (adj.): Capable of, intending, or involving murder or extreme violence.
Synonyms
  • Assassinated: Killed, especially a public figure, by sudden or secret attack, often for political reasons.
  • Slain: (Literary) Killed in a violent way.
  • Homicide victim: A more formal or legal term for a person who has been unlawfully killed.
Antonyms
  • Alive: Living, not dead.
  • Spared: Allowed to live; not killed.
Related Phrases and Idioms
  • "Cry murder": To shout or accuse someone of murder; to raise a loud alarm.
    • He began to cry murder when he saw the intruder.
  • "Get away with murder": (Idiom) To do something very bad without being punished or criticized for it.
    • That child is so spoiled; he gets away with murder.(Note: This idiom uses "murder" figuratively and does not describe the state of being "murdered.")
Adjective
  1. killed unlawfully
    • the murdered woman
    • lay a wreath on murdered Lincoln's bier