égorger

Senses

1. 1.

   to cut the throat of, to slit the throat of

   to kill by severing the throat

2. 2.

   to fleece, to overcharge

   to extract money from someone excessively

Examples

• "Le boucher a égorgé le poulet avant de le plumer."

  The butcher slit the chicken's throat before plucking it.

• "Ces restaurants touristiques nous égorgent avec leurs prix exorbitants."

  These tourist restaurants fleece us with their outrageous prices.

• "Il a été accusé d'avoir égorgé sa victime."

  He was accused of having cut his victim's throat.

Usage

A formal, somewhat violent verb used literally in slaughter/butchery contexts or metaphorically to mean "overcharge" or "rip off." The figurative sense is common in complaints about unfair pricing. Often reflexive in passive constructions or with indirect objects.