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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary de·struc·tion ETYMOLOGY Middle English destruccioun, from Anglo-French destruction, from Latin destruction-, destructio, from destruere DATE 14th century 1. the state or fact of being destroyed : ruin 2. the action or process of destroying something 3. a destroying agency English Etymology destruction early 14c., from L. destructionem, from stem of destruere "tear down" (see destroy). Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ destruction de·struc·tion / di5strQkFn / noun[U] the act of destroying sth; the process of being destroyed 摧毁；毁灭；破坏: the destruction of the rainforests 对热带雨林的破坏 weapons of mass destruction 大规模杀伤性武器 a tidal wave bringing death and destruction in its wake 海啸以及随之而来的死亡与破坏 The central argument is that capitalism sows the seeds of its own destruction (= creates the forces that destroy it). 主要论点是资本主义播下了自我毁灭的种子。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English destruction noun ADJ. complete, total, wholesale | large-scale, mass, massive, widespread modern weapons of mass destruction | rapid | systematic | wanton the wanton destruction of public property | environmental, forest, habitat the environmental destruction caused by road building VERB + DESTRUCTION bring (about), cause, lead to, result in, wreak (formal) the destruction brought about by war He gasped as he saw how much destruction she had wrought with the hammer. | prevent Some shopkeepers closed early to prevent the wholesale destruction of their property by the hooligans. PHRASES leave a trail of destruction The tornado left a trail of destruction behind it. | the seeds of destruction By doubling its prices, the industry sowed the seeds of its own destruction. | test sth to destruction Children will quickly test their toys to destruction. Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged de·struc·tion \-kshən\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English destruccioun, from Middle French destruction, from Latin destruction-, destructio, from destructus (past participle of destruere to tear down) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at destroy 1. : the action or process of destroying a material or immaterial object: a. : demolition or complete ruin < destruction of dead files by a government department > < bombers accomplished destruction of the city > b. : killing or annihilation < destruction of sheep by dogs and wild animals > < inflicted destruction on enemy units > c. : a bringing to an end : elimination , eradication < measures toward destruction of the dictatorship > < was his real purpose in creating this painting the destruction of religion rather than the furtherance of it — Huntington Hartford > d. : impairment , disruption , disintegration < destruction of the universities by the Nazi regime > < the destruction of European civilization through internal strife > e. : invalidation < any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein — U.N. Declaration of Human Rights > 2. a. : the fact or experience of or subjection to being destroyed < Albania … suffered whole or partial destruction of 1600 of its villages — Current Biography > < Macbeth seemed eager for his own destruction > < a study of communistic ideology and prospects of its gradual destruction > < voluntary muscular movements become sluggish and finally tissue destruction and death may occur at temperatures of -25° F to -50° F — H.G.Armstrong > b. : loss of prestige and reputation : descent into a state of ignominy and degradation < resolved on the teacher's personal destruction because of his stand on civil rights > c. : a condition of having been destroyed < coffee planting on steep slopes has resulted in serious land destruction — P.E.James > < with economic and social destruction as the penalty for dissent — Archibald MacLeish > < the destruction resulting from the hurricane > 3. : a destroying agency : a cause of ruin < alcohol is likely to be his destruction > |
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