kill-,vb. stemprefixed to ns., forming ns. (chiefly 17th c. nonce-wds.) with sense ‘one who or that which kills{ddd}’, and adjs.= ‘that kills{ddd}, -killing.’ A.ns., as kill-bishop; kill-Christ, one who took part in putting Christ to death; kill-courtesy, a boorish person; kill-crow, (a) ? a good shot, one who can hit the mark well; (b) dial.= kill-cow 3; kill-herb, a parasitic plant, Broomrape; kill-lamb, an American species of Andromeda (A. mariana) poisonous to sheep; kill-man, a man-slayer; also adj. man-slaying; kill-pot, a hard drinker. B.adjs. as kill-calf; kill-duck, suited for killing ducks; kill-me-quite, irresistibly bewitching or fascinating. Also kill-curing, that cures by killing. See also kill-buck, -cow, -devil, etc.1672Wood Life 19 Nov. (O.H.S.) II. 253 Chester is a *kill-bishop.1628J. Clavell Recant. ill-led Life 35 Then take heed of those Base Padding Rascalls, for their *kill-calfe law I am not priuy to.1630J. Taylor (Walter P.) Wks. (N.), There they make private shambles with kil-calfe cruelty, and sheepe-slaughtering murther.1647Trapp Comm. Acts v. 28 They should be counted *kill-Christs.1590Shakes.Mids. N. ii. ii. 77 This lacke-loue, this *kill-curtesie.1593Pass. Morrice (1876) 83, I will tell you my reason, and if it iumpes with your conceite, say you mette with a *kill Crowe.1616J. Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. viii. 56 That suche feirce surgeons tooles shoold exercise On mans soft fleshe, *kill-curinge buttcheries.1675Cotton Scoffer Scoft 31 Yonder is the Bird of prey, I see him in a *Kill-duck place.1671Skinner Etymol.Ling.Angl., Bot., *Kill-herb.1874Dunglison Med.Dict., *Kill Lamb.c1611Chapman Iliad ii. 573 Warlike Idomen..co-partner in the fleet, With *kill⁓man Merion.1638R. Brathwait Ps. cli, Gath flesht in battles, broiles, and blood, A kill-man from his youth.1842S. Lover Handy Andy v. 50 He sang too with a *kill-me-quite air, as if no lady could resist his strains.1616B. Jonson Masque Christmas, This Carol plays, and has been in his days A chirping boy, and a *kill-pot.