Definition: slaughter

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

slaughter
     n 1: the killing of animals (as for food)
     2: a sound defeat [syn: thrashing, walloping, debacle, drubbing,
         trouncing, whipping]
     3: the savage and excessive killing of people [syn: carnage,
        butchery]
     v 1: kill; used of animals, but also used for people to indicate
          brutality [syn: butcher]
     2: kill a large number of people indiscriminately; "The Hutus
        massacred the Tutsis in Rwanda" [syn: massacre, mow
        down]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Slaughter \Slaugh"ter\, n. [OE. slautir, slaughter, slaghter,
   Icel. sl[=a]tr slain flesh, modified by OE. slaught, slaht,
   slaughter, fr. AS. sleaht a stroke, blow; both from the root
   of E. slay. See Slay, v. t., and cf. Onslaught.]
   The act of killing. Specifically:
   (a) The extensive, violent, bloody, or wanton destruction of
       life; carnage.

             On war and mutual slaughter bent.    --Milton.
   (b) The act of killing cattle or other beasts for market.

   Syn: Carnage; massacre; butchery; murder; havoc.
Slaughter \Slaugh"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaughtered; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Slaughtering.]
   1. To visit with great destruction of life; to kill; to slay
      in battle.

            Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes
            Savagely slaughtered.                 --Shak.

   2. To butcher; to kill for the market, as beasts.

Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990) 

Slaughter, LA (town, FIPS 70770)
  Location: 30.71890 N, 91.14160 W
  Population (1990): 827 (300 housing units)
  Area: 14.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 70777