kill

kill (an amount of time)

To engage in an activity, usually an aimless or idle one, to occupy oneself, especially with the goal of making the amount of time seem to pass more quickly or less slowly. I'm going to walk down to the bookstore to kill a couple hours before my flight. Do you want anything? The game is great if you want to kill a few minutes here and there, but it gets pretty tiresome playing it for long stretches.
See also: amount, kill, of

kill (oneself)

1. To commit suicide. Once John realized he had begun to have thoughts of killing himself, he decided to seek help.
2. To bring about one's death by performing a particular action. This phrase can be said when one's life is or could be in danger, but it is often used hyperbolically. I can hardly breathe—I'm going to kill myself if I go back on the treadmill right now! If they try driving home in this snow, they'll kill themselves—tell them to get a hotel room for the night.
3. To overexert oneself. I know you want to get the report done tonight, but don't kill yourself—it's not even due until next week! They're killing themselves finishing the last touches on the exterior of the house before the storm hits us.
See also: kill

kill (oneself) (doing something)

To overexert oneself or overextend one's effort while doing something. Don't kill yourself trying to get the report done tonight—it's not due until next week anyway. They're killing themselves finishing the last touches on the exterior of the house before the storm hits us.
See also: kill
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

kill

1. tv. to be very successful with an audience; to perform very well for an audience. She really killed them with that last joke.
2. tv. to eat all of something; to drink all (of a bottle) of something. We finally killed the last of the turkey.
3. tv. to douse a light. Would you kill the light so they can’t see we’re home?
4. tv. to stop or terminate something; to quash a story; to stop a story from being printed in a newspaper. Kill that story. It’s got too many errors.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

kill

/run down/run out the clock
Sports To preserve a lead by maintaining possession of the ball or puck until playing time expires.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See:
  • (one) is going to kill (someone)
  • (one) will kill (someone)
  • a buzz kill
  • be dressed to kill
  • be in at the death/kill
  • be in at the kill
  • buzzkill
  • close in for the kill
  • don't kill the messenger
  • dress to kill
  • dressed (up) fit to kill
  • dressed to kill
  • dressed to kill/to the nines
  • even if it kills me
  • fill or kill
  • fit to kill
  • gluttony kills more than the sword
  • go (in) for the kill
  • go for the kill
  • have (some) time to kill
  • have time to kill
  • I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you
  • I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you
  • if it kills (one)
  • if it kills you
  • if looks could kill
  • if looks could kill...
  • in at the death
  • in at the kill
  • in for the kill
  • in on the kill
  • it is not work that kills, but worry
  • it is the pace that kills
  • kill
  • kill (an amount of time)
  • kill (one) with kindness
  • kill (oneself)
  • kill (oneself) (doing something)
  • kill (oneself) laughing
  • kill (someone) with extreme prejudice
  • kill (something) stone dead
  • kill a fly with an elephant gun
  • kill for
  • kill for something
  • kill me
  • kill off
  • kill one to warn a hundred
  • kill or cure
  • kill outright
  • kill somebody with kindness
  • kill someone with kindness
  • kill something stone dead
  • kill the clock
  • kill the fatted calf
  • kill the fatted calf, to
  • Kill the goose that lays the golden egg
  • kill the goose that lays the golden egg(s)
  • kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
  • kill the rabbit
  • kill time
  • kill time, a couple of hours, etc.
  • kill time, to
  • kill two birds with one stone
  • kill two birds with one stone, to
  • kill with kindness
  • kill with kindness, to
  • kill yourself
  • kill yourself doing something
  • kill yourself laughing
  • killjoy
  • look daggers at, to
  • look fit to kill
  • move in for the kill
  • that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger
  • time to kill
  • what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
  • would (just) as soon (do something) as look at (one)
  • Would it kill (someone) to (do something)?
  • would/could kill for (something)
References in classic literature
"Then," said the genius, "I tell you you have killed my son, for whilst you were throwing about the stones, my son passed by, and one of them struck him in the eye and killed him.
"But I killed your son quite unintentionally, so I implore you to spare my life."
Arabian Nights
"They would have killed you when they had you prisoner.
"But I could so easily have killed him as he stood there defenseless!" I exclaimed.
The People That Time Forgot
Then Chaka called to the Zulu and the last of those who had followed us to kill us, bidding them fight.
Nada The Lily
Thou hast taught Man to kill, and he is no slow learner.'
Second Jungle Book
They killed Pylaemenes peer of Mars, leader of the Paphlagonian warriors.
Iliad
"You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the silver shoes, which bear a powerful charm.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
And he made Tiger-Face head man over all the guards, so that Tiger-Face became his right arm, and when he did not like a man Tiger-Face killed that man for him.
The Strength of the Strong
His first opinion was, that the savages in the boat never could live out the storm which blew that night they went off, but must of necessity be drowned, or driven south to those other shores, where they were as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned if they were cast away; but, as to what they would do if they came safe on shore, he said he knew not; but it was his opinion that they were so dreadfully frightened with the manner of their being attacked, the noise, and the fire, that he believed they would tell the people they were all killed by thunder and lightning, not by the hand of man; and that the two which appeared - viz.
Robinson Crusoe
Some thought it would be good to kill the FAMILIES of boys that told the secrets.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
"Free People, and ye too, jackals of Shere Khan, for twelve seasons I have led ye to and from the kill, and in all that time not one has been trapped or maimed.
Jungle Book
This is what we will do: when we have killed these people, father and son, we will kill you too.
Odyssey
53: The author of the "Aethiopis" says that Aias killed himself about dawn.
Collection Of Hesiod Homer and Homerica
In this expedition we took seven prisoners and five scalps, with the loss of only four men, two of whom were accidentally killed by our own army.
Adventures Of Col Daniel Boone