The Collaborative International Dictionary
murdering piece
Murderer \Mur"der*er\ (m[^u]r"d[~e]r*[~e]r), n.
One guilty of murder; a person who, in possession of his reason, unlawfully kills a human being with premeditated malice.
A small cannon, formerly used for clearing a ship's decks of boarders; -- called also murdering piece. [Obs.]