To destroy
Example: They used bombs to destroy the old building quickly.
Definition
"To destroy" means to cause the complete ruin or demolition of something, rendering it unusable or nonexistent. It often involves deliberate actions to break down or eliminate structures, objects, or entities, as in 'They used bombs to destroy the old building quickly.'
Etymology
The verb "to destroy" comes from the Old French 'destruire,' which traces back to the Latin 'destruere,' meaning 'to tear down' or 'to demolish.' The Latin root combines 'de-' (down, away) and 'struere' (to pile up), implying the act of unbuilding or dismantling. Did you know that the word carries a sense of reversing construction?
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"To destroy" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - History - (A1) - set 1", containing 208 commonly used words.
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