liquidate

liquidate
    v 1: get rid of (someone who may be a threat) by killing; "The
         mafia liquidated the informer"; "the double agent was
         neutralized" [syn: {neutralize}, {neutralise}, {liquidate},
         {waste}, {knock off}, {do in}]
    2: eliminate by paying off (debts) [syn: {liquidate}, {pay off}]
    3: convert into cash; "I had to liquidate my holdings to pay off
       my ex-husband"
    4: settle the affairs of by determining the debts and applying
       the assets to pay them off; "liquidate a company"
    

Liquidate \Liq"ui*date\ (l[i^]k"w[i^]*d[=a]t), v. t. [imp. & p.
   p. {Liquidated} (-d[=a]`t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Liquidating}.] [LL. liquidatus, p. p. of liquidare to
   liquidate, fr. L. liquidus liquid, clear. See {Liquid}.]
   1. (Law) To determine by agreement or by litigation the
      precise amount of (indebtedness); or, where there is an
      indebtedness to more than one person, to determine the
      precise amount of (each indebtedness); to make the amount
      of (an indebtedness) clear and certain.
      [1913 Webster]

            A debt or demand is liquidated whenever the amount
            due is agreed on by the parties, or fixed by the
            operation of law.                     --15 Ga. Rep.
                                                  321.
      [1913 Webster]

            If our epistolary accounts were fairly liquidated, I
            believe you would be brought in considerable debtor.
                                                  --Chesterfield.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. In an extended sense: To ascertain the amount, or the
      several amounts, of, and apply assets toward the discharge
      of (an indebtedness). --Abbott.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To discharge; to pay off or settle, as an indebtedness.
      [1913 Webster]

            Friburg was ceded to Zurich by Sigismund to
            liquidate a debt of a thousand florins. --W. Coxe.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To make clear and intelligible.
      [1913 Webster]

            Time only can liquidate the meaning of all parts of
            a compound system.                    --A. Hamilton.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. To make liquid. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

   6. To convert (assets) into cash.
      [PJC]

   7. To kill; -- used mostly of governments or organizations
      killing their enemies; as, Stalin liquidated many of the
      Kulaks.
      [PJC]

   8. To dissolve (an organization); to terminate (an activity).
      [PJC]

   {Liquidated damages} (Law), damages the amount of which is
      fixed or ascertained. --Abbott.
      [1913 Webster]
    

150 Moby Thesaurus words for "liquidate":
      abstract, amortize, annihilate, assassinate, bereave of life,
      break, bump off, bust, carry away, carry off, cash, cash in,
      cashier, cast off, cast out, chloroform, chuck, clear, clear away,
      clear off, clear out, clear the decks, clear the trade, close out,
      convert, convert into cash, cool, cut down, cut off, cut out,
      deconsecrate, defrock, deport, depose, deprive of life, deracinate,
      destroy, dethrone, disbar, discharge, discrown, disenthrone,
      dismiss, dispatch, dispel, displace, dispose of, do away with,
      do for, do in, do to death, drum out, dump, dust off, eject, elide,
      eliminate, end, eradicate, excommunicate, execute, exile,
      expatriate, expel, exterminate, extirpate, finish, finish off,
      fling off, get quit of, get rid of, get shut of, give the gate,
      honor, immolate, kick upstairs, kill, knock off,
      launch into eternity, lift, lynch, make accounts square,
      make away with, martyr, martyrize, murder, oust, outlaw, overthrow,
      pay, pay in full, pay off, pay the bill, pay the shot, pay up,
      pension, pension off, pick out, poison, purge, put away, put down,
      put to death, put to sleep, quit, read out of, redeem, remove,
      remove from life, remove from office, retire, root out, root up,
      sacrifice, satisfy, sell, sell out, sell short, settle, shake off,
      shoo, slay, square, square accounts, starve, strike a balance,
      strike off, strike out, strip of office, strip of rank,
      superannuate, suspend, sweep away, take life, take off, take up,
      terminate the account, throw away, throw off, throw over,
      throw overboard, unchurch, unfrock, unload, unsaddle, unseat,
      unthrone, uproot, weed out, wipe out