Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - slay

 verb  (slew; also especially in sense 2 ~ed; slain; ~ing)  Etymology: Middle English slen, from Old English slean to strike, ~; akin to Old High German slahan to strike, Middle Irish slachta stricken  Date: before 12th century  transitive verb  1. to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers; broadly to strike down ; kill  2. to delight or amuse immensely ~ed the audience  intransitive verb kill, murder  Synonyms: see kill  • ~er noun