Execute Meaning
Execute Definition & Usage
To carry out or put into effect a plan, order, or course of action.
Examples
- "The manager asked her team to execute the new marketing strategy."
- "He will execute the plan exactly as we discussed."
- "They executed the mission with precision and efficiency."
- "After months of preparation, the team is ready to execute the event."
- "The software developer executed the code to test its functionality."
To carry out the death sentence on a convicted person.
Examples
- "The state executed the prisoner after a lengthy trial."
- "The law mandates that those convicted of murder be executed."
- "The execution was carried out at dawn, in accordance with the court's ruling."
- "He was executed by lethal injection in a maximum security prison."
- "Public debates about the ethics of executing criminals have intensified."
To run a program or a command in a computing environment.
Examples
- "Once you execute the script, the system will automatically back up the files."
- "He executed the command to install the software."
- "The virus executed itself as soon as the infected file was opened."
- "In order to install the update, you need to execute the installation file."
- "The system crashed shortly after executing the program."
Cultural Context
The word 'execute' comes from the Latin word 'executus,' meaning 'to carry out, to follow through.' Its usage has evolved over centuries, with its earliest meanings related to carrying out orders or actions. Today, it retains its legal meaning while also being common in business, military, and technological contexts.
The Last Execution
Story
The Last Execution
It was an early morning in the small town of Riverton. The air was crisp, and a faint mist lingered over the rolling hills. In the town square, a crowd had gathered, murmuring with anticipation. Today was the day of the execution—the final act of justice for a crime that had shaken the community to its core. The condemned man, Joseph Byrne, had been found guilty of the brutal murder of a local shopkeeper, and after years of legal battles, the court had issued its final ruling: he was to be executed. In a nearby office, Sarah Turner, the district attorney, sat staring at a stack of legal documents. It was her job to execute the law, to ensure that justice was served, and yet the weight of the decision still haunted her. As the official who had recommended the execution, she had followed the procedure to the letter, but now, as the hour approached, she questioned if it was truly the right course of action. Meanwhile, in the high-tech control room of the prison, the technicians were preparing to execute a different kind of order: the execution of a system update. This update would ensure that the prison's security software was running at peak performance, a critical task that could not be delayed. The team, efficient and methodical, had executed the plan several times in simulations, but today, it was real. Each command was executed flawlessly as the screens blinked and data flowed across the terminals. As the clock struck 9 AM, Sarah stood at the window, watching the final preparations unfold. She had done everything in her power to ensure that Joseph Byrne's fate was sealed according to the law. And yet, as the crowd waited, she couldn't shake the feeling that some executions, no matter how lawful, were harder to carry out than others. The day ended with no more questions, only the quiet certainty of justice executed—on the street and in the courtroom, both different, but both necessary in their own way.