1. The act of executing; a carrying into effect or to completion; performance; achievement; consummation; as, the execution of a plan, a work, etc.
The excellence of the subject contributed much to the happiness of the execution. --Dryden.
2. A putting to death as a legal penalty; death lawfully inflicted; as, the execution of a murderer; to grant a stay of execution.
A warrant for his execution. --Shak.
3. The act of the mode of performing a work of art, of performing on an instrument, of engraving, etc.; as, the execution of a statue, painting, or piece of music.
The first quality of execution is truth. --Ruskin.
5. Law (a) The carrying into effect the judgment given in a court of law. (b) A judicial writ by which an officer is empowered to carry a judgment into effect; final process. (c) The act of signing, and delivering a legal instrument, or giving it the forms required to render it valid; as, the execution of a deed, or a will.
6. That which is executed or accomplished; effect; effective work; -- usually with do.
To do some fatal execution. --Shak.
7. The act of sacking a town. [Obs.]
n 1: putting a condemned person to death [syn: executing, capital
punishment, death penalty]
2: the act of performing; of doing something successfully;
using knowledge as distinguished from merely possessing
it; "they criticised his performance as mayor";
"experience generally improves performance" [syn: performance,
carrying out, carrying into action]
3: (computer science) the process of carrying out an
instruction by a computer [syn: instruction execution]
4: (law) the completion of a legal instrument (such as a
contract or deed) by signing it (and perhaps sealing and
delivering it) so that it becomes legally binding and
enforceable [syn: execution of instrument]
5: a routine court order that attempts to enforce the judgment
that has been granted to a plaintiff by authorizing a
sheriff to carry it out [syn: writ of execution]
6: the act of accomplishing some aim or executing some order;
"the agency was created for the implementation of the
policy" [syn: implementation, carrying out]
7: unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human
being [syn: murder, slaying]