butcher

Definitions

1. 1.A slaughterer; one who kills in large numbers, or with unusual cruelty; one who causes needless loss of life, as in battle. "Butcher of an innocent child." Shak. Butcher bird (Zoöl.), a species of shrike of the genus Lanius. Note: The Lanius excubitor is the common butcher bird of Europe. In England, the bearded tit is sometimes called the lesser butcher bird. The American species are L.borealis, or northernbutcher bird, and L. Ludovicianus or loggerhead shrike. The name butcher birdis derived from its habit of suspending its prey impaled upon thorns, after killing it. Butcher's meat, such flesh of animals slaughtered for food as is sold for that purpose by butchers, as beef, mutton, lamb, and pork.
2. 2.To kill or slaughter (animals) for food, or for market; as, to butcher hogs.
3. 3.To murder, or kill, especially in an unusually bloody or barbarous manner. Macaulay. [Ithocles] was murdered, rather butchered. Ford.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

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• What does "butcher" mean?

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Definition-first questions whose answer is butcher.

• What is to kill or slaughter (animals) for food, or for market; as, to butcher hogs called?
• What is to murder, or kill, especially in an unusually bloody or barbarous manner. Macaulay. [Ithocles] was murdered, rather butchered. Ford called?