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Wiktionary The Free Dictionary

execute

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: exécuté and exécute

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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").

Pronunciation

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  • IPA (key): /ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt/, /ˈɛɡzɪˌkjuːt/
  • (South Asia ) IPA (key): /eɡ.zɪ.kjuːʈ/
  • Hyphenation: ex‧e‧cute

Verb

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execute (third-person singular simple present executes , present participle executing , simple past and past participle executed )

  1. (transitive ) To kill, especially as punishment for a capital crime.
    Coordinate term: murder
    There are certain states where it is lawful to execute prisoners convicted of certain crimes.
    According to international treaties, it is illegal to execute prisoners of war.
  2. (transitive ) To carry out; to put into effect.
    Your orders have been executed, sir!
    I'll execute your orders as soon as this meeting is adjourned.
    • 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:
      Why delays / His hand to execute what his decree / Fixed on this day?
  3. (transitive ) To perform.
    to execute a difficult piece of music brilliantly
    to execute a turn in ballet
    • 1989 February 12, Escalating Peace: A Next Step To Resist Global Violence, "George Jarret", in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 30, page 5:
      Affinity groups will plan and execute nonviolent actions to both symbolically and directly challenge weapons development.
  4. (transitive , law ) 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 , computing ) To start, launch , or run.
    Synonyms: start , launch , run , open
    to execute a program
  6. (intransitive , computing ) To run, usually successfully.
    The program executed, but data problems were discovered.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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to kill as punishment
to start a defined process and run it to completion
to start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to completion or not
to carry out, to perform an act — see carry out,‎ perform
to start, launch or run software
to sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid

Interlingua

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Etymology

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Derived from Latin execūtus .

Pronunciation

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Verb

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execute

  1. past participle of executar
    Synonym: executate
  2. past participle of exequer
    Synonym: exequite

Derived terms

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Latin

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Pronunciation

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Participle

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execūte

  1. vocative masculine singular of execūtus

Portuguese

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Verb

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execute

  1. inflection of executar :
    1. first /third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

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Verb

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execute

  1. inflection of executar :
    1. first /third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

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