(n.) The shedding or spilling of blood; slaughter; the act of shedding human blood, or taking life, as in war, riot, or murder.

all-out war appeal to arms armed combat armed conflict attack bane battle belligerence belligerency blood bloodbath bloodletting braining butchery carnage combat dealing death destruction destruction of life dispatch euthanasia execution extermination fighting flow of blood genocide gore hostilities hot war immolation kill killing la guerre lapidation martyrdom martyrization mercy killing might of arms military operations murder open hostilities open war poisoning resort to arms ritual killing ritual murder sacrifice shooting shooting war slaughter slaying state of war stoning taking of life the sword total war violence war warfare warmaking warring wartime