| massacre | 1. The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day. 2. Murder. Synonym: Massacre, Butchery, Carnage. Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain. "I'll find a day to massacre them all, And raze their faction and their family." (Shak) "If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, Brhold this pattern of thy butcheries." (Shak) "Such a scent I draw Of carnage, prey innumerable !" (Milton) Origin: F, fr. LL. Mazacrium; cf. Prov. G. Metzgern, metzgen, to kill cattle, G. Metzger a butcher, and LG. Matsken to cut, hew, OHG. Meizan to cut, Goth. Maitan. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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