Hypertext Webster Gateway: "assassin"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Assassin \As*sas"sin\, n. [F. (cf. It. assassino), fr. Ar.
`hashishin one who has drunk of the hashish. Under its
influence the Assassins of the East, followers of the Shaikh
al-Jabal (Old Man of the Mountain), were said to commit the
murders required by their chief.]
One who kills, or attempts to kill, by surprise or secret
assault; one who treacherously murders any one unprepared for
defense.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Assassin \As*sas"sin\, v. t.
To assassinate. [Obs.] --Stillingfleet.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
assassin
n : a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political
figure) who kills by a treacherous surprise attack and
often is hired to do the deed; "his assassins were hunted
down like animals"; "assassinators of kings and emperors"
[syn: {assassinator}, {bravo}]
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