Dictionary

execute en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈɛɡzɪˌkjuːt/
• /eɡ.zɪ.kjuːʈ/ (South-Asia)
• /ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Old French executer (French exécuter), from Latin exsecutus, past participle of exsequor (“to follow (up/through)”, particularly in the sense “to go through with a deed or punishment”), from ex- (“out”) + sequor (“to follow”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To kill, especially as punishment for a capital crime.
   • Was not thy Father, Richard, Earle of Cambridge, / For Treaſon executed in our late Kings dayes? 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 104, column 1:
   • According to international treaties, it is illegal to execute prisoners of war.
   • There are certain states where it is lawful to execute prisoners convicted of certain crimes.
2. (transitive) To carry out; to put into effect.
   • I'll execute your orders as soon as this meeting is adjourned.
   • Your orders have been executed, sir!
   • Why delays / His hand to execute what his decree / Fixed on this day? 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
   • Then, on the basis of that permission, he executed a mutatio capparum⁷ and decked out his donkey, showing him off to great advantage. Part 1 published in 1605, Part 2 in 1615, translated in 2003, Miguel de Cervantes and translated by Edith Grossman, Don Quixote, page 157:
3. (transitive) To perform.
   • to execute a difficult piece of music brilliantly
   • to execute a turn in ballet
   • Affinity groups will plan and execute nonviolent actions to both symbolically and directly challenge weapons development. 1989 February 12, Escalating Peace: A Next Step To Resist Global Violence, “George Jarret”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 30, page 5:
4. (transitive) To carry out, to perform an act; to put into effect or cause to become legally binding or valid (as a contract) by so doing.
   • to execute a contract
5. (transitive) To start, launch, or run.
   • to execute a program
6. (intransitive) To run, usually successfully.
   • The program executed, but data problems were discovered.

Forms

Coordinates

murder

Deriveds

unexecuted · outexecute · misexecute · executrix · self-executing · execution · executability · nonexecuted · executive · executry · executioner · executable · nonexecuting · electrocute · reexecute · executed · unexecute · executor · execute order

Synonyms

launch · do · run · open · start · perform · carry out

Translations (213)

fi panna toimeen (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru запусти́ть (to start, launch or run software) · nrf exétchuter (to start, launch or run software) · sl zagnati (to start, launch or run software) · ru казни́ть (to kill as punishment) · km ប្រតិបត្តិ (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · nn avretta (to kill as punishment) · pt rodar (to start, launch or run software) · de exekutieren (to kill as punishment) · sh izvŕšiti (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · eo ekzekuti (to kill as punishment) · ko 행하다 (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · grc θανατόω (to kill as punishment) · fa اجرایدن (to start, launch or run software) · zza idam kerden (to kill as punishment) · ar أَعْدَمَ (to kill as punishment) · pt executar (to kill as punishment) · fa انجامیدن (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · nn eksekvere (to start, launch or run software) · gd cuir an gnìomh (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · uk стра́чувати (to kill as punishment) · pt executar (to start, launch or run software) · nb kjøre (to start, launch or run software) · fr exécuter (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · nl uitvoeren (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · uk стра́тити (to kill as punishment) · eo plenumi (to start, launch or run software) · fi käynnistää (to start, launch or run software) · el θανατώνω (to kill as punishment) · gd cuir an gnìomh (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · ro executa (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · az edam etmək (to kill as punishment) · da påbegynde (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · fr exécuter (to start, launch or run software) · uk ви́конати (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · la ad necum mittō (to kill as punishment) · da afvikle (to start, launch or run software) · hu teljesít (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sl izvršiti (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru вы́полнить (to start, launch or run software) · ga cuir i bhfeidhm (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · da eksekvere (to start, launch or run software) · nrf exétchuter (to kill as punishment) · nl bewerkstelligen (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru прогна́ть (to start, launch or run software) · fi saattaa voimaan (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · sv expediera (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · cs vykonávat (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl zacząć (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · hu végrehajt (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · fi aloittaa (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · de durchführen (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl uruchomić (to start, launch or run software) · fa اعدام کردن (to kill as punishment) · hu elvégez (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · el εκτελώ (to kill as punishment) · sh pròvesti (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ny kufétsa (to kill as punishment) · fi suorittaa (to start, launch or run software) · ru выполня́ть (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · sh про̀вести (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ca arrancar (to start, launch or run software) · fr exécuter (to kill as punishment) · ka სიკვდილით დასჯა (to kill as punishment) · da udføre (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · he להוציא להרוג (to kill as punishment) · et teostama (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · be вы́канаць (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sh сма̀кнути (to kill as punishment) · pl stracić (to kill as punishment) · it lanciare (to start, launch or run software) · nb henrette (to kill as punishment) · de ausführen (to start, launch or run software) · fi panna täytäntöön (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · la fungor (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ca arrencar (to start, launch or run software) · ny kunyónga (to kill as punishment) · be пакара́ць сме́рцю (to kill as punishment) · ja 処刑する (to kill as punishment) · uk вико́нувати (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · fi toteuttaa (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sv avrätta (to kill as punishment) · hu megvalósít (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · uk вико́нувати (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · hu végrehajt (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru запуска́ть (to start, launch or run software) · mk погуби (to kill as punishment) · ru прогоня́ть (to start, launch or run software) · ar نَفَّذَ (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · es ejecutar (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sq ekzekutoj (to kill as punishment) · fr mettre à mort (to kill as punishment) · qu hayratachiy (to kill as punishment) · ru испо́лнить (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · bg подписвам (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · ka სისრულეში მოყვანა (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ka შესრულება (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · fi teloittaa (to kill as punishment) · ga básaigh (to kill as punishment) · be кара́ць сме́рцю (to kill as punishment) · ru подпи́сывать (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · sh извр́шити (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ro executa (to start, launch or run software) · es ajusticiar (to kill as punishment) · la carnificō (to kill as punishment) · sl usmrtiti (to kill as punishment) · ka ასრულება (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · cs vykonat (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ca executar (to start, launch or run software) · sh погу̀бити (to kill as punishment) · cs provádět (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · ca executar (to kill as punishment) · tl ipapatay (to kill as punishment) · cmn 執行 /执行 (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl stracać (to kill as punishment) · nl uitvoeren (to start, launch or run software) · ga cuir i bhfeidhm (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl wystartować (to start, launch or run software) · de hinrichten (to kill as punishment) · bg извъ́ршвам (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · mk погубува (to kill as punishment) · bg изпълня́вам (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru выполня́ть (to start, launch or run software) · uk ви́конати (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · th ประหาร (to kill as punishment) · be выко́нваць (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sv verkställa (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · uk запусти́ти (to start, launch or run software) · zza dard kerden (to kill as punishment) · nl executeren (to kill as punishment) · da starte (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · et hukkama (to kill as punishment) · nl uitvoeren (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ar نَفَّذَ (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sv exekvera (to start, launch or run software) · io exekutar (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · da udføre (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ca executar (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · cs popravit (to kill as punishment) · bg подпиша (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · pl rozpocząć (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · es enrodar (to kill as punishment) · cs konat (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · de ausführen (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru исполня́ть (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · bg изпъ́лня (to start, launch or run software) · da eksekvere (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · hu kivégez (to kill as punishment) · bg извъ́рша (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ro executa (to kill as punishment) · da udføre (to start, launch or run software) · ko 실행하다 (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · es arrancar (to start, launch or run software) · is framkvæma (to start, launch or run software) · vo cödetadeidön (to kill as punishment) · sk vykonať (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · cmn 運行 /运行 (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · hu teljesít (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · tr idam etmek (to kill as punishment) · ca executar (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ja 実行する (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl uruchomić (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · mi whakahaere (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · lv izpildīt (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ar نَفَّذَ (to start, launch or run software) · ja 消す (to kill as punishment) · da henrette (to kill as punishment) · sk popraviť (to kill as punishment) · nb eksekvere (to start, launch or run software) · ko 실행하다 (to start, launch or run software) · cmn 處死 /处死 (to kill as punishment) · ru подписа́ть (to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid) · ca executar (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · hu futtat (to start, launch or run software) · ru вы́полнить (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · es ejecutar (to kill as punishment) · ro executa (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sv köra (to start, launch or run software) · bg изпълня́вам (to start, launch or run software) · cy dienyddio (to kill as punishment) · aii ܡܲܡܝܸܬ݂ (to kill as punishment) · da eksekvere (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · ckb بردن بەڕێوە (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · nn køyre (to start, launch or run software) · mi whakamate (to kill as punishment) · bg изпъ́лня (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru исполня́ть (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · it giustiziare (to kill as punishment) · sh pogùbiti (to kill as punishment) · lt įvykdyti (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · es ejecutar (to start, launch or run software) · hu kivitelez (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · da afvikle (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sh smàknuti (to kill as punishment) · fi ajaa (to start, launch or run software) · et täitma (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · sk vykonávať (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · fi käynnistää (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · cmn 處決 /处决 (to kill as punishment) · pt executar (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ja 行う (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · ru испо́лнить (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · pl wykonywać (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · uk запуска́ти (to start, launch or run software) · pl wykonać (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · hu foganatosít (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · got 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to kill as punishment) · bg екзекути́рам (to kill as punishment) · nl bewerkstelligen (to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not) · sv utföra (to start a defined process and run it to completion) · pl wykonać (to start, launch or run software) · ko 처형하다 (to kill as punishment) · grc ἐνεργέω (to start a defined process and run it to completion)