ELECTROCUTE

electrocute, fry

(verb) kill by electrocution, as in the electric chair; “The serial killer was electrocuted”

electrocute

(verb) kill by electric shock; “She dropped the hair dryer into the bathtub and was instantly electrocuted”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

electrocute (third-person singular simple present electrocutes, present participle electrocuting, simple past and past participle electrocuted)

(transitive) To kill by electric shock.

(transitive) To execute by electric shock, often by means of an electric chair.

(transitive, proscribed, informal) To inflict a severe electric shock (not necessarily fatal) upon.

Usage notes

• Formally, the words electrocute and electrocution always imply fatality. Informally, however, these terms are rather often used to refer to serious but nonfatal electric shocks. Standard usage is to reserve electrocute and electrocution for fatal electric shocks, and to use shock or electric shock for nonfatal ones.

Synonyms

• (Nonfatal electric shock) electrify

Source: Wiktionary


E*lec"tro*cute`, v. t. Etym: [Electro- + cute in execute.]

Definition: To execute or put to death by electricity.

– E*lec`tro*cu"tion, n.

Note: [Recent; Newspaper words]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

10 June 2025

COMMUNICATIONS

(noun) the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.); “communications is his major field of study”


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