The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Execute \Ex"e*cute\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Executed; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Executing.] [F. ex['e]cuter, L. executus, exsecutus,
   p. p. of exequi to follow to the end, pursue; ex out + sequi
   to follow. See Second, Sue to follow up, and cf.
   Exequy.]
   1. To follow out or through to the end; to carry out into
      complete effect; to complete; to finish; to effect; to
      perform.
      [1913 Webster]

            Why delays
            His hand to execute what his decree
            Fixed on this day?                    --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To complete, as a legal instrument; to perform what is
      required to give validity to, as by signing and perhaps
      sealing and delivering; as, to execute a deed, lease,
      mortgage, will, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To give effect to; to do what is provided or required by;
      to perform the requirements or stipulations of; as, to
      execute a decree, judgment, writ, or process.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To infect capital punishment on; to put to death in
      conformity to a legal sentence; as, to execute a traitor.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. To put to death illegally; to kill. [Obs.] --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. (Mus.) To perform, as a piece of music or other feat of
      skill, whether on an instrument or with the voice, or in
      any other manner requiring physical activity; as, to
      execute a difficult part brilliantly; to execute a coup;
      to execute a double play.

   Syn: To accomplish; effect; fulfill; achieve; consummate;
        finish; complete. See Accomplish.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Execute \Ex"e*cute\, v. i.
   1. To do one's work; to act one's part or purpose. [R.]
      --Hayward.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To perform musically.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

execute
    v 1: kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment; "In some
         states, criminals are executed" [syn: execute, put to
         death]
    2: murder in a planned fashion; "The Mafioso who collaborated
       with the police was executed"
    3: put in effect; "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of
       the people"; "He actioned the operation" [syn: carry
       through, accomplish, execute, carry out, action,
       fulfill, fulfil]
    4: carry out the legalities of; "execute a will or a deed"
    5: carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a
       machine; "Run the dishwasher"; "run a new program on the
       Mac"; "the computer executed the instruction" [syn: run,
       execute]
    6: carry out or perform an action; "John did the painting, the
       weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters"; "the skater
       executed a triple pirouette"; "she did a little dance" [syn:
       perform, execute, do]
    7: sign in the presence of witnesses; "The President executed
       the treaty"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

148 Moby Thesaurus words for "execute":
   abide by, accompany, accomplish, achieve, act, adhere to,
   administer, administrate, annihilate, assassinate, attain,
   be productive, behead, bereave of life, bowstring, bring about,
   bring into being, bring off, bring to fruition, bump off, burn,
   butcher, carry away, carry into execution, carry off, carry out,
   carry through, cause, chloroform, chord, compass, complete,
   concertize, conduct, consummate, cool, cope with, countersign,
   crucify, cut, cut down, cut off, deal with, decapitate, decollate,
   defenestrate, deliver, deprive of life, destroy, discharge,
   dispatch, dispose of, do, do away with, do for, do in, do the job,
   do the trick, do to death, dust off, effect, effectuate,
   electrocute, eliminate, enact, end, enforce, engineer, exterminate,
   fetch, fill out, finish, finish off, fulfill, garrote, govern,
   guillotine, handle, honor, ice, immolate, implement, industrialize,
   inflict capital punishment, interpret, kill, knock off, lapidate,
   launch into eternity, liquidate, lynch, make, make away with,
   make music, make out, manage, martyr, martyrize, mass-produce,
   murder, observe, overproduce, perform, play, play by ear, poison,
   polish off, practice, produce, promulgate, prosecute, pull off,
   purge, put away, put down, put in force, put over, put through,
   put to death, put to sleep, realize, remove, remove from life,
   render, rub out, sacrifice, seal, shoot, sign, slay, snuff out,
   starve, stone, strangle, succeed, swing, symphonize, take care of,
   take life, take off, transact, turn the trick, validate,
   volume-produce, waste, wipe out, work, work out



The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

execution
execute
run

    The process of carrying out
   the instructions in a computer program by a computer.

   See also dry run.

   (1996-05-13)