destroy

destroy
de|stroy [ dı`strɔı ] verb transitive ***
1. ) to damage something so severely that it no longer exists or can never return to its normal state:
Half the world's rain forests have already been destroyed.
An earthquake destroyed the town, killing about 20,000 people.
This action destroyed any remaining hope of reaching an agreement.
be destroyed by fire/a bomb/an explosion etc.: Two churches were destroyed by fire last night in northeast Mississippi.
2. ) to officially kill an animal because it is dangerous or very sick: PUT DOWN:
The dog attacked a child and had to be destroyed.
3. ) to cause such severe problems for someone that their life is completely spoiled:
Her mother said the strain was destroying them all.
4. ) INFORMAL to defeat an enemy or opponent completely

Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.

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Synonyms:

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  • Destroy 2 — Also known as Eye Chew Origin Osaka, Japan Genres Noise rock Hardcore punk Years active 1995–1996 …   Wikipedia

  • Destroy! — Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota Genres Crust punk, grindcore Years active 1988–1994 Labels Havoc Records …   Wikipedia

  • destroy — [ dɛstrɔj ] adj. inv. • 1982; d apr. l angl. to destroy « ravager » ♦ Fam. Dans un état second (ivre, drogué). ⇒ cassé. « l aura destroy des Sex Pistols » (Libération, 1994). Look destroy, à base de vêtements trop larges, déchirés ou usés. ●… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Destroy — may refer to: Destroy (physics), Matter is not created and not destroyed. Destroy (album), a 2004 album by Ektomorf Destroy!, a Minneapolis Crust punk band Destroy!!, a comic book by Scott McCloud, published in the 1980s by Eclipse Comics GFAS X1 …   Wikipedia

  • 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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