Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Butcher?

\Butch"er\, n. [OE. bochere, bochier, OF. bochier, F. boucher, orig., slaughterer of buck goats, fr. OF. boc, F. bouc, a buck goat; of German or Celtic origin. See {Buck} the animal.] 1. One who slaughters animals, or dresses their flesh for market; one whose occupation it is to kill animals for food. 2. A slaughterer; one who kills in large numbers, or with unusual cruelty; one who causes needless loss of life, as in battle. ``Butcher of an innocent child.'' --Shak. {Butcher bird} (Zo["o]l.), a species of shrike of the genus {Lanius}. Note: The {Lanius excubitor} is the common butcher bird of Europe. In England, the bearded tit is sometimes called the {lesser butcher bird}. The American species are {L.borealis}, or {northern butcher bird}, and {L. Ludovicianus} or {loggerhead shrike}. The name butcher bird is derived from its habit of suspending its prey impaled upon thorns, after killing it. {Butcher's meat}, such flesh of animals slaughtered for food as is sold for that purpose by butchers, as beef, mutton, lamb, and pork.
\Butch"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Butchered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Butchering}.] 1. To kill or slaughter (animals) for food, or for market; as, to butcher hogs. 2. To murder, or kill, especially in an unusually bloody or barbarous manner. --Macaulay. [Ithocles] was murdered, rather butchered. --Ford.