lethal

lethal
I. adjective Etymology: Latin letalis, lethalis, from letum death Date: circa 1604 1. a. of, relating to, or causing death <
death by lethal injection
>
b. capable of causing death <
lethal chemicals
>
2. gravely damaging or destructive ; devastating <
a lethal attack on his reputation
>
3. very potent or effective <
a lethal fastball
>
; also having a high alcohol content <
a lethal rum punch
>
Synonyms: see deadlylethality nounlethally adverb II. noun Date: 1917 1. an abnormality of genetic origin causing the death of the organism possessing it 2. lethal gene

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Lethal — Datos generales Origen Buenos Aires,  Argentina Estado …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lethal — is something that is capable of causing death to a living being. For example, a Lethal injection.It may also refer to:*A Lethal gene, a gene which produces an organism which dies before reproducing *Leigh Matthews, Australian rules footballer… …   Wikipedia

  • Lethal — Le thal (l[=e] thal), a. [L. lethalis, letalis, fr. lethum, letum, death: cf. F. l[ e]thal.] Deadly; mortal; fatal. The lethal blow. W. Richardson. {Le thal*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lethal — I adjective annihilative, baleful, baneful, dangerous, deadly, death bringing, death dealing, deathly, destructive, evil, exitialis, fatal, fell, feral, funestus, harmful, hurtful, injurious, internecine, internecive, killing, lethiferous,… …   Law dictionary

  • Lethal — Leth al (l[e^]th [a^]l), n. [Lauric + ether + alcohol.] (Chem.) One of the higher alcohols of the paraffine series obtained from spermaceti as a white crystalline solid. It is so called because it occurs in the ethereal salt of lauric acid. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lethal — (adj.) 1580s, from L.L. lethalis, alteration of L. letalis deadly, fatal, from letum death, of uncertain origin. Form altered in L.L. by association with lethe hydor water of oblivion in Hades in Greek mythology, from Gk. lethe forgetfulness …   Etymology dictionary

  • lethal — *deadly, fatal, mortal Analogous words: destroying or destructive (see corresponding verb at DESTROY): killing, slaying (see KILL): *pernicious, baneful, noxious: *poisonous, virulent, venomous, toxic Contrasted words: salutary, wholesome,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • lethal — [adj] deadly baleful, dangerous, deathly, destructive, devastating, fatal, harmful, hurtful, malignant, mortal, mortiferous, mortuary, murderous, necrotic, noxious, pernicious, pestilent, pestilential, poisonous, virulent; concept 537 Ant.… …   New thesaurus

  • lethal — ► ADJECTIVE 1) sufficient to cause death. 2) very harmful or destructive. DERIVATIVES lethality noun lethally adverb. ORIGIN Latin lethalis, from letum death …   English terms dictionary

  • lethal — [lē′thəl] adj. [L letalis, lethalis < letum, death: see LET1] causing or capable of causing death; fatal or deadly SYN. FATAL lethality [lē′thal′i tē] n. lethally adv …   English World dictionary

  • lethal — 01. The victim died from a [lethal] blow to the head. 02. Marilyn Monroe died after taking a [lethal] dose of sleeping pills. 03. He is a karate expert, and his hands are [lethal] weapons. 04. The police were obliged to use [lethal] force to stop …   Grammatical examples in English

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