New to me. 
When I keyed it into google,
Kill; murder: "he was hired to off her stalker".
came up. So, I view it as a distinctive form of murder, murder to get someone off your back. Like if enemies killed Breitbardt to silence him. Just shotting at random wouldn't fit the bill. Good word, very expressive. Murdered wouldn't convey it.
Eighteenth Century, eh? Reminds me of a story one of my history professors told. He said on his first trip to Europe, he was going to go see some ruins they were passing and his hosts said, no, it's too young. Only 1,000 years old or somethin. I don't remember the exact age anymore. But it's in sharp contrast to how we view old here.
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