Verb

erstechen

to stab to death, to knife

Der Mann wurde im Streit erstochen.

The man was stabbed to death in the argument.

((sb.)) ((with sth.)) to stab sb. to death with sth. The perpetrator stabbed him to death with a knife.

ermorden (to murder), töten (to kill)

From the prefix 'er-' (indicating completion or a fatal outcome) + 'stechen' (to stab). Literally 'to stab to completion/death'.

Think of the 'er-' prefix as 'finishing the job'. 'Stechen' is just stabbing, but 'erstechen' is stabbing to death.

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