Adjacent Words

Execute definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EX'ECUTE, v.t. [L. exequor, for exsequor; ex and sequor, to follow. See Seek.]
1. Literally, to follow out or through. Hence, to perform; to do; to effect; to carry into complete effect; to complete; to finish. We execute a purpose, a plan, design or scheme; we execute a work undertaken, that is, we pursue it to the end.
2. To perform; to inflict; as, to execute judgment or vengeance.
3. To carry into effect; as, to execute law or justice.
4. To carry into effect the law, or the judgment or sentence on a person; to inflict capital punishment on; to put to death; as, to execute a traitor.
5. To kill.
6. To complete, as a legal instrument; to perform what is required to give validity to a writing, as by signing and sealing; as, to execute a deed or lease.
EX'ECUTE, v.i. To perform the proper office; to produce an effect.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment; "In some states, criminals are executed" [syn: execute, put to death]
2: murder in a planned fashion; "The Mafioso who collaborated with the police was executed"
3: put in effect; "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation" [syn: carry through, accomplish, execute, carry out, action, fulfill, fulfil]
4: carry out the legalities of; "execute a will or a deed"
5: 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" [syn: run, execute]
6: carry out or perform an action; "John did the painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters"; "the skater executed a triple pirouette"; "she did a little dance" [syn: perform, execute, do]
7: sign in the presence of witnesses; "The President executed the treaty"

Merriam Webster's

verb (-cuted; -cuting) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French executer, from execucion execution Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to carry out fully ; put completely into effect <execute a command> 2. to do what is provided or required by <execute a decree> 3. to put to death especially in compliance with a legal sentence 4. to make or produce (as a work of art) especially by carrying out a design 5. to perform what is required to give validity to <execute a deed> 6. play <execute a piece of music> intransitive verb 1. to perform properly or skillfully the fundamentals of a sport or of a particular play <never had a team execute better — Bobby Knight> 2. to perform indicated tasks according to encoded instructions — used of a computer program or routine Synonyms: see kill, perform • executable adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 a carry out a sentence of death on (a condemned person). b kill as a political act. 2 carry into effect, perform (a plan, duty, command, operation, etc.). 3 a carry out a design for (a product of art or skill). b perform (a musical composition, dance, etc.). 4 make (a legal instrument) valid by signing, sealing, etc. 5 put into effect (a judicial sentence, the terms of a will, etc.). Derivatives: executable adj. Etymology: ME f. OF executer f. med.L executare f. L exsequi exsecut- (as EX-(1), sequi follow)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Execute Ex"e*cute, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Executed; p. pr. & vb. n. Executing.] [F. ex['e]cuter, L. executus, exsecutus, p. p. of exequi to follow to the end, pursue; ex out + sequi to follow. See Second, Sue to follow up, and cf. Exequy.] 1. To follow out or through to the end; to carry out into complete effect; to complete; to finish; to effect; to perform. Why delays His hand to execute what his decree Fixed on this day? --Milton. 2. To complete, as a legal instrument; to perform what is required to give validity to, as by signing and perhaps sealing and delivering; as, to execute a deed, lease, mortgage, will, etc. 3. To give effect to; to do what is provided or required by; to perform the requirements or stimulations of; as, to execute a decree, judgment, writ, or process. 4. To infect capital punishment on; to put to death in conformity to a legal sentence; as, to execute a traitor. 5. Too put to death illegally; to kill. [Obs.] --Shak. 6. (Mus.) To perform, as a piece of music, either on an instrument or with the voice; as, to execute a difficult part brilliantly. Syn: To accomplish; effect; fulfill; achieve; consummate; finish; complete. See Accomplish.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Execute Ex"e*cute, v. i. 1. To do one's work; to act one's part of purpose. [R.] --Hayward. 2. To perform musically.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(executes, executing, executed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. To execute someone means to kill them as a punishment for a serious crime. He was executed by lethal injection earlier today... One group claimed to have executed the American hostage... This boy's father had been executed for conspiring against the throne. VERB: be V-ed, V n, be V-ed for n/-ing • execution (executions) Execution by lethal injection is scheduled for July 30th. N-VAR 2. If you execute a plan, you carry it out. (FORMAL) We are going to execute our campaign plan to the letter. VERB: V n • execution US forces are fully prepared for the execution of any action once the order is given by the president. N-UNCOUNT 3. If you execute a difficult action or movement, you successfully perform it. The landing was skilfully executed. VERB: V n 4. When someone executes a work of art, they make or produce it, using an idea as a basis. Morris executed a suite of twelve drawings in 1978... A well-executed shot of a tall ship is a joy to behold. VERB: V n, V-ed • execution The ideas in the show's presentation were good, but failed in execution.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Accomplish, effect, effectuate, perform, do, consummate, finish, complete, achieve, carry out, carry through, carry into effect, work out. 2. Put to death (in pursuance of a judicial sentence). 3. (Law.) Sign, seal, and deliver (as a deed).

Moby Thesaurus

abide by, accompany, accomplish, achieve, act, adhere to, administer, administrate, annihilate, assassinate, attain, be productive, behead, bereave of life, bowstring, bring about, bring into being, bring off, bring to fruition, bump off, burn, butcher, carry away, carry into execution, carry off, carry out, carry through, cause, chloroform, chord, compass, complete, concertize, conduct, consummate, cool, cope with, countersign, crucify, cut, cut down, cut off, deal with, decapitate, decollate, defenestrate, deliver, deprive of life, destroy, discharge, dispatch, dispose of, do, do away with, do for, do in, do the job, do the trick, do to death, dust off, effect, effectuate, electrocute, eliminate, enact, end, enforce, engineer, exterminate, fetch, fill out, finish, finish off, fulfill, garrote, govern, guillotine, handle, honor, ice, immolate, implement, industrialize, inflict capital punishment, interpret, kill, knock off, lapidate, launch into eternity, liquidate, lynch, make, make away with, make music, make out, manage, martyr, martyrize, mass-produce, murder, observe, overproduce, perform, play, play by ear, poison, polish off, practice, produce, promulgate, prosecute, pull off, purge, put away, put down, put in force, put over, put through, put to death, put to sleep, realize, remove, remove from life, render, rub out, sacrifice, seal, shoot, sign, slay, snuff out, starve, stone, strangle, succeed, swing, symphonize, take care of, take life, take off, transact, turn the trick, validate, volume-produce, waste, wipe out, work, work out