killing

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. a large and sudden profit from a business deal or investment.

n. a sudden, large financial profit, often achieved through a single successful transaction or investment.

“They made a killing when they sold their house during the property boom.”

“The hedge fund manager made a killing by shorting the market just before the economic downturn began.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. something that is very tiring or likely to cause death.

adj. possessing the power to kill; figuratively used to describe something extremely exhausting or overwhelming.

“The heat in the desert was killing, and we had to stop every hour.”

“The soldiers faced a killing frost that threatened to destroy their remaining supplies before the relief column could arrive.”

C2 · Proficiency Informal · Humorous

adj. extremely funny, so you feel like you cannot stop laughing.

adj. extremely amusing or comical; causing uncontrollable laughter.

“The comedian's impression of the president was absolutely killing.”

“The irony of the situation was simply killing, though few in the room were brave enough to laugh out loud.”

A2 · Elementary

v. the -ing form of the verb 'kill', used for causing death or causing pain.

v. the present participle of 'kill', used in continuous tenses to describe the act of ending life or causing intense discomfort.

“My feet are killing me after walking around the city all day.”

“The report detailed how the invasive species was killing off the native plants at an alarming rate.”