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execute
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As a verb, execute means kill, especially as punishment for a capital crime.
Meanings of execute
10 meaningsverb
To kill, especially as punishment for a capital crime.
“There are certain states where it is lawful to execute prisoners convicted of certain crimes.”
“According to international treaties, it is illegal to execute prisoners of war.”
To carry out; to put into effect.
“Your orders have been executed, sir!”
“I'll execute your orders as soon as this meeting is adjourned.”
To perform.
“to execute a difficult piece of music brilliantly”
“to execute a turn in ballet”
lawTo carry out, to perform an act; to put into effect or cause to become legally binding or valid (as a contract) by so doing.
“to execute a contract”
computingTo start, launch or run
“to execute a program”
computingTo run, usually successfully.
“The program executed, but data problems were discovered.”
Kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
“In some states, criminals are executed”
Similar: put to deathMurder in a planned fashion
“The Mafioso who collaborated with the police was executed”
Carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine
“Run the dishwasher”
“run a new program on the Mac”
“the computer executed the instruction”
Similar: runSign in the presence of witnesses
“The President executed the treaty”
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).