Massacre vs Assassinate - What's the difference?
massacre | assassinate |
The intentional killing of a considerable number of human beings, under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the norms of civilized people.
(obsolete) Murder.
* 1593 , , The Tragedy of Richard the Third
(figuratively) An overwhelming defeat.
To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the norms of civilized people; to butcher; to slaughter.
* 1849 , , The History Of England From the Accession of James II
(figuratively)
To murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons.
* , II.29:
(figuratively) To harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack.
* Dryden
* Milton
(obsolete) Assassination, murder.
(obsolete) An assassin.
* , vol.1, III.i.2:
Assassinate is a synonym of massacre.
In obsolete terms the difference between massacre and assassinate
is that massacre is murder while assassinate is an assassin.In figuratively terms the difference between massacre and assassinate
is that massacre is an overwhelming defeat while assassinate is to harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack.As nouns the difference between massacre and assassinate
is that massacre is the intentional killing of a considerable number of human beings, under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the norms of civilized people while assassinate is assassination, murder.As verbs the difference between massacre and assassinate
is that massacre is to kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the norms of civilized people; to butcher; to slaughter. Often limited to the killing of human beings while assassinate is to murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons.massacre
English
Alternative forms
* massacer (archaic)Noun
(en noun)- the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day
- St. Valentine's Day''' '''massacre
- Amritsar''' '''massacre
- The tyrannous and bloody act is done,—
- The most arch deed of piteous massacre
- That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Synonyms
* butchery, carnage, slaughter. *: Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. *:* 1592 , , Titus Andronicus, I,v *:*: I'll find a day to massacre them all, And raze their faction and their family *: Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. *:* 1593 , , Richard III, I,ii *:*: If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, Behold this pattern of thy butcheries *: Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain. *:* 1674 , , Paradise Lost *:*: Such a scent I draw Of carnage , prey innumerable!Verb
(massacr)- If James should be pleased to massacre' them all, as Maximilian had ' massacred the Theban legion
assassinate
English
Verb
- The Assassines, a nation depending of Phœnicia, are esteemed among the Mahometists.
- Your rhymes assassinate our fame.
- Such usage as your honourable lords / Afford me, assassinated and betrayed.
Noun
(en noun)- Yet again, many of them desperate hairbrains, rash, careless, fit to be assassinates , as being void of all fear and sorrow […].
See also
*Wikipedia article on Assassins* murder * regicide ----
