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Verb: execute  'ek-su,kyoot
  1. Kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
    "In some states, criminals are executed";
    - put to death
     
  2. Murder in a planned fashion
    "The Mafioso who collaborated with the police was executed"
     
  3. Cause to happen; complete successfully
    "execute the decision of the people";
    - carry through, accomplish, carry out, action, fulfill [N. Amer], fulfil [Brit, Cdn]
     
  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
    "the computer executed the instruction";
    - run
     
  6. Carry out an action
    "the skater executed a triple pirouette";
    - perform, do
     
  7. Sign in the presence of witnesses
    "The President executed the treaty"

Derived forms: executed, executing, executes

Type of: apply, bump off [informal], complete, croak, dispatch, effect, effectuate, enforce, finish, hit, implement, kill, murder, off [N. Amer, informal], penalise [Brit], penalize, polish off [informal], punish, remove, sanction, set up, sign, slay [literary]

Encyclopedia: Execute