/ˈkılıŋ/ noun, pl -ings [count]
1 : an act of killing someone or something
The oil spill is responsible for the killing of thousands of birds.
A series of horrific killings [=murders] have made headlines across the nation.
— see also ↑mercy killing
2 informal : a large amount of money
— usually singular
He made a killing in the stock market.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.