destroy

destroy
de|stroy
W2S2 [dıˈstrɔı] v [T]
[Date: 1100-1200; : Old French; Origin: destruire, from Latin destruere, from struere 'to build']
1.) to damage something so badly that it no longer exists or cannot be used or repaired
completely/totally destroy
The school was completely destroyed by fire.
companies that are polluting and destroying the environment
destroy sb's confidence/hope/faith etc
2.) if something destroys someone, it ruins their life completely
The scandal destroyed Simmons and ended his political career.
3.) informal to defeat an opponent easily
The Bears destroyed the Detroit Lions 35-3.
4.) to kill an animal, especially because it is ill or dangerous
One of the bulls had to be destroyed.
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WORD CHOICE: destroy, ruin, spoil
Destroy means to damage something so badly that it no longer exists or people can no longer use it : The earthquake destroyed even the tallest buildings. | The rainforests are being destroyed at a frightening rate.
If you ruin or spoil something, it still exists, but it has lost all its good qualities or features. Ruin is stronger than spoil : The rain ruined my hair. | I don't want to spoil your day.
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Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • destroy — I (efface) verb abort, annihilate, blast, blight, blot out, break to pieces, bring to ruin, burn, consume, corrode, deal destruction, decimate, deface, demolish, desolate, destruct, destruere, devastate, devour, diruere, disintegrate, dissolve,… …   Law dictionary

  • Destroy — De*stroy , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Destroyed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Destroying}.] [OE. destroien, destruien, destrien, OF. destruire, F. d[ e]truire, fr. L. destruere, destructum; de + struere to pile up, build. See {Structure}.] 1. To unbuild; to pull… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • destroy — destroy, demolish, raze mean to pull or tear down. Destroy is so general in its application that it may imply the operation of any force that wrecks, kills, crushes, or annihilates {idestroy a nest of caterpillars} {destroy affection} {a building …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • destroy — [di stroi′] vt. [ME destroien < OFr destruire < L destruere < de , down + struere, to build: see STRUCTURE] 1. to tear down; demolish 2. to break up or spoil completely; ruin 3. to bring to total defeat; crush 4. to put an end to; do… …   English World dictionary

  • destroy — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 7}}[wym. destroj] {{/stl 7}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż ndm {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} młodzieżowy styl bycia cechujący się wprowadzanymi celowo elementami bałaganu, nieładu; artystyczny nieład : {{/stl 7}}{{stl 10}}Destroy, czyli artystyczny… …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • destroy — (v.) early 13c., from O.Fr. destruire (12c., Mod.Fr. détruire) destroy, ravage, lay waste, from V.L. *destrugere (Cf. It. distruggere), refashioned (influenced by destructus), from L. destruere tear down, demolish, lit. un build, from de un ,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • destroy — [v] demolish, devastate abort, annihilate, annul, axe*, blot out, break down, butcher*, consume, cream*, crush, damage, deface, desolate, despoil, dismantle, dispatch, end, eradicate, erase, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, gut*, impair, kill …   New thesaurus

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