Butcher \Butch"er\ (b[.u]ch"[~e]r), n. [OE. bochere, bochier,
   OF. bochier, F. boucher, orig., slaughterer of buck goats,
   fr. OF. boc, F. bouc, a buck goat; of German or Celtic
   origin. See {Buck} the animal.]
   1. One who slaughters animals, or dresses their flesh for
      market; one whose occupation it is to kill animals for
      food.
      
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   2. A slaughterer; one who kills in large numbers, or with
      unusual cruelty; one who causes needless loss of life, as
      in battle. "Butcher of an innocent child." --Shak.
      
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   {Butchers meat}, such flesh of animals slaughtered for food
      as is sold for that purpose by butchers, as beef, mutton,
      lamb, and pork.
      
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Butcher \Butch"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Butchered}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Butchering}.]
   1. To kill or slaughter (animals) for food, or for market;
      as, to butcher hogs.
      
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   2. To murder, or kill, especially in an unusually bloody or
      barbarous manner. --Macaulay.
      
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            [Ithocles] was murdered, rather butchered. --Ford.
      
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   3. to bungle badly; to botch; -- used also when an object is
      damaged (literally or figuratively) in an activity; as,
      the new choir butchered the hymn.

   Syn: mangle. [PJC] butcher-bird
        butcher bird