Phrase guide

in for the kill

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Intending to kill or destroy someone or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • If you go hunting and want to bring something back to eat, you have to be in for the kill.
  • After bashing up his victim, the murderer went in for the kill.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 意欲殺害 /意欲杀害 (yìyù shāhài) — intending to kill or destroy
  • Finnish: tappamisen tarkoitus — intending to kill or destroy