kill off

kill +‎ off

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kɪl ɒf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kɪl ɔf/, /kɪl ɑf/

kill off (third-person singular simple present kills off, present participle killing off, simple past and past participle killed off)

1. To eliminate, or make extinct.

   We killed off the Dodo by over-hunting.

2. (of writers or producers) To take a character out of a television series by purposefully and deliberately having them killed within the plot.

   The writers are killing off lots of people in the soap opera.

3. (figuratively) To put an end to.
   • 2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Marouane Chamakh then spurned a great chance to kill the game off when he ran onto Andrey Arshavin's lofted through ball but shanked his shot horribly across the face of goal.