execution

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The act of carrying out a plan, order, or task.

   The plan was good, but its execution was poor.

2. 2
   noun

   The act of killing someone as a legal punishment.

   The execution of the prisoner sparked public protests.

3. 3
   noun

   (computing) The running of a program or instruction by a computer.

   The program crashed during execution.

From Old French execution (c.1360), from Latin exsecutiō, an agent noun from exsequor (“to follow out”), from ex (“out”) + sequor (“follow”). Equivalent to execute + -ion.

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