adj. and adv. (common).—1. Fascinating; bewitching; irresistible. Also KILLINGLY.
1619. FLETCHER, The Wild-Goose Chase, iii. As KILLING eyes as yours, a wit as poignant.
1677. WYCHERLEY, The Plain Dealer, ii. Nov. Ay, ay, madam, with you ladies too, martial men must needs be very KILLING.
1700. CONGREVE, The Way of the World, iv. 1. L. Wish. And—well—and how do I look, Foible? Foi. Most killing well, Madam.
1712. POPE, The Rape of the Lock, v. 64. Those eyes were made so KILLING.
1751. SMOLLETT, Peregrine Pickle, lxxx. The KILLING edge of her charms was a little blunted by the accidents of time and fortune.
1765. GOLDSMITH, Essays, v. Your modern Briton cuts his hair on the crown, and plasters it with hog’s lard and flour; and this to make him look KILLING.
1836. HOOD, Miss Kilmansegg and Her Precious Leg [Works (1846), i. 231].
| The crowd including two butchers in blue, | |
| (The regular KILLING Whitechapel hue). |
1847. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, iv. Mr. Joseph Sedley … was actually seated tête-à-tête with a young lady, looking at her with a most KILLING expression.
1883. The Saturday Review, 21 April, p. 502, col. 2. Mr. Toole is as KILLINGLY funny in this as he is in the still and constantly popular farce of Mr. Guffin’s Elopement.
