De-stroy′, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. DESTROYED; p. pr. & vb. n. DESTROYING.] [O. Eng. distruye, O. Fr. destruire, now détruire, Pr., Sp., & Pg. destruir, It. distruggere, Lat. destruere, destructum, from de and struere, to pile up, build. See STRUCTURE.]
Sense 1. To unbuild; to pull down; to separate violently into its constituent parts; to break up the structure and organic existence of.
Sense 2. To ruin; to bring to naught; to put an end to; to annihilate.
Sense 3. To put an end to the life, prosperity, or beauty of; to kill; to devastate.
If him by force he can destroy, or, worse, By some false guile pervert. Milton.
Synonyms— To demolish; lay waste; consume; raze; dismantle; ruin; throw down; overthrow; subvert; desolate; devastate; deface; extirpate; extinguish; kill; slay. See DEMOLISH.