counterkilling en · NOUN
Etymology
From counter- + killing.
Meanings
-
A killing carried out in response to another killing.
The mob pummeled the men suspected of being thugs, and this normally tranquil spot exploded into a melee of killings and counterkillings that left nearly 30 people dead.
2009 April 22, Jeffrey Gettleman, “Kenyan Town Strikes Back Against Its Tormenters”, in New York Times:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| counterkillings | Number=Plur | lexicographic |