Make a killing / Make a kill

Make a killing 

Make a kill

(Which is correct? See more…)

When the conversation is centred around earning a large amount of money, often surprisingly in a business deal, “make a killing” is the correct expression. However, many speakers and writers use “make a kill” in this context. This is not acceptable.

The confusion may stem from the fact that both phrases have identical word order and rhythm, similar sound, and phrase structure.