assassinate

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From assassin + -ate, after Middle French assassiner.

transitive To murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons. The Assassines, a nation depending of Phœnicia, are esteemed among the Mahometists[…]. And thus was our Earle Raymond of Tripoli murthered or assassinated (this word is borrowed from their name) in the middest of his Citie, during the time of our warres in the holy land[…].
figuratively To harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack. He assassinated his rival's character.

From assassin + -ate (noun-forming suffix).

obsolete Assassination, murder. Mor. Why? if I had made an assassinate upon your Father; vitiated your Mother: ravished your Sisters― Tru. I would kill you, Sir, I would kill you, if you had. Mor. Why? you do more in this, Sir: it were a vengeance centuple, for all facinorous Acts, that could be nam'd, to do that you do.
obsolete An assassin. Yet again, many of them deſperat hairebraines, raſh, careleſſe, fit to be Aſſaſinates, as being voide of all Feare and Sorrow […]