What shared meaning do the Latin verbs perimō, occīdō, necō, and interficiō have?

The verbs perimō, occīdō, necō, and interficiō all convey the act of causing death or ending a life, which is why the correct choice is C, "to kill."

Each of these verbs has nuances in their usage but fundamentally aligns in the context of lethal action. For instance, perimō often implies total destruction, occīdō can mean to strike down or slay, necō generally translates to "to kill" outright, and interficiō refers to the act of cutting off life or finishing someone's existence. Understanding these verbs in this manner reveals their shared thematic connection to death or killing, which is the core meaning that unites them.

The other options—ruling, creating, and defending—do not relate to the shared lethal connotation of these verbs, marking them as unrelated to the core meaning of the verbs in question.