Kill/do in

Posted by ESC on March 12, 2004

In Reply to: Kill/do in posted by SR on March 11, 2004

: Thanks again for the prison/jail discussion. It sparked another discussion here as to the many different synonymns and origins of to kill.
: to do in
: to off someone
: to whack
: to smoke
: assassinate
: murder
: peel their cap
: split their wig

: Maybe ESC can shine some light on "to do someone in."

Not much light.

Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: do in
Function: transitive verb
1 a : to bring about the defeat or destruction of; also : KILL b : EXHAUST, WEAR OUT
2 : CHEAT

Do in - verb to kill. 1905 "I heard people tell her to do me an injury, throw glasses at me, and 'do me in.'" From Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 1, A-G by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994.