To destroy
Example: The army tried to destroy the old castle in the war.
Definition
"To destroy" means to deliberately cause so much damage to something that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired. In history, it often refers to acts where armies or groups aim to ruin buildings, cities, or objects to prevent their use or erase their presence.
Etymology
The phrase "to destroy" comes from the Old French word 'destruire', which itself originates from the Latin 'destruere', meaning 'to unbuild' or 'to tear down'. Did you know that this word combines 'de-' meaning 'down' and 'struere' meaning 'to pile up'? So, "to destroy" literally suggests the act of un-piling or dismantling something.
Learn to use this word actively
"To destroy" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - History - (A1) - set 1", containing 208 commonly used words.
Would you like to not only understand these words, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select English as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
