slay
slay Lexical Profile
slay Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To kill a person or animal in a violent manner (chiefly literary or journalistic).
"In the ancient legend, the hero set out to slay the fearsome dragon guarding the mountain pass."
To greatly impress, overwhelm, or excel through exceptional style, confidence, or performance (slang).
"She stepped onto the stage and proceeded to slay her vocal solo from the very first note."
To amuse someone intensely or cause them to laugh uncontrollably (informal).
"The comedian's spot-on impressions always slay the late-night audience."
• interjection
Used as an exclamation of enthusiastic praise or approval for someone's impressive style, confidence, or performance (slang).
"Slay! That evening gown looks absolutely stunning on you."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'slay' with its homophone 'sleigh' (a horse-drawn vehicle on runners for snow). In the literal sense of killing, the past tense is 'slew' and the past participle is 'slain', whereas the modern slang and comedic senses typically conjugate regularly as 'slayed'.
• Rhymes for slay
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'slean', meaning to strike, smite, or kill, which derives from the Proto-Germanic root '*slahanan'.