Murder Idioms (With Meaning and Examples)

Have you ever heard someone use the word “murder” in a funny way? This post explores different sayings or idioms that include the word “murder” or are about it. These phrases are used a lot in English to express feelings or describe situations without meaning actual harm. Let’s dive into what they mean and see how they are used!

Murder Idioms

Here are 20 murder idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.

1. Get away with murder

Meaning: Do bad things without being caught or punished.
Example: He’s so charming, he gets away with murder at work.

2. Overkill

Meaning: Much more than what is necessary.
Example: Bringing all those snacks was overkill for the party.

3. To kill two birds with one stone

Meaning: Solve two problems with one action.
Example: I killed two birds with one stone by shopping on my way home.

4. A killing frost

Meaning: A frost that destroys plants.
Example: The garden was ruined by a killing frost overnight.

5. Killing time

Meaning: Doing something to pass time.
Example: We were just killing time before the movie started.

6. Make a killing

Meaning: Earn a lot of money quickly.
Example: She made a killing in the stock market last year.

7. To kill the lights

Meaning: Turn off the lights.
Example: Kill the lights before you leave the room.

8. Dressed to kill

Meaning: Wearing very attractive or impressive clothes.
Example: She was dressed to kill at the gala.

9. Killing with kindness

Meaning: Being overly kind to someone.
Example: She’s killing him with kindness, hoping he’ll improve.

10. Kill the goose that lays the golden egg

Meaning: Destroy something that is profitable.
Example: Don’t overwork the team; it’s like killing the goose.

11. Kill the engine

Meaning: Turn off the engine.
Example: Kill the engine; we’ll be here for a while.

12. That’s kill

Meaning: Used to express laughter or amusement.
Example: That joke’s a kill, I can’t stop laughing!

13. License to kill

Meaning: Permission to act freely or harshly.
Example: His new role gave him a license to kill the project.

14. One’s heart missed a beat

Meaning: Feel very surprised or shocked.
Example: Her heart missed a beat when she heard the news.

15. Screaming murder

Meaning: Shouting loudly in anger or fear.
Example: She was screaming murder when she lost her phone.

16. For murder

Meaning: Very eager or desperate for something.
Example: I could eat a horse, I’m hungry for murder.

17. Murder on the dance floor

Meaning: To dance extraordinarily well or energetically.
Example: They committed murder on the dance floor last night.

18. Murder by numbers

Meaning: Something done mechanically or without originality.
Example: The movie’s plot felt like murder by numbers.

19. Blue murder

Meaning: Shriek or scream extremely loudly.
Example: The toddler screamed blue murder during his bath.

20. To cry murder

Meaning: To loudly complain or protest.
Example: They cried murder over the unfair decision.

Read More:

Slang for Murder

Adjectives for Murderer

Murder Idioms