Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of terminating a life: The formal or deliberate action of causing someone or something to die.

Usage

• The term "putting to death" is a formal or legal noun phrase used to describe the act of killing, especially when it is carried out as an official punishment or a deliberate, sanctioned action. It is often used in legal, historical, or journalistic contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The putting to death of the convicted criminal was scheduled for dawn.
  • Many ancient civilizations practiced the putting to death of prisoners of war.
  • The documentary examined the ethics of the state's putting to death of its citizens.

Advanced Usage

• "putting to death" as a gerund phrase: While functioning as a noun, the phrase retains its verbal force, emphasizing the process or action itself.
  • The putting to death of innocent animals for sport is widely condemned.

Variants and Related Words

• Execution (n): The carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person. (A more specific synonym often used interchangeably in legal contexts).
• Capital punishment (n): The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime. (Refers to the practice or system, not a single instance).
• Killing (n): The act of causing death. (A more general term).

Synonyms

• Execution
• Killing
• Slaying (more literary or archaic)

Related Phrases

• To put to death (verb phrase): The action form of the noun.
  • The king ordered his rivals to be put to death.

Notes on Meaning

• The phrase "putting to death" specifically implies an agent (a person, state, or authority) performing the act. It is not typically used for accidental deaths or natural causes. Its formality sets it apart from more colloquial terms like "killing."

Noun

1. the act of terminating a life