Wreck

(rĕk), n. [Written also wrack.] [O. Fries. wrak, injured, hurt, D. wrak, damaged, brittle, a wreck, O. D. wrack, wrack, bad, vile, wracke, a wreck, L. Ger. wrak, wraak; Sw. wrak; Dan. vrag, refuse, a wreck; O. D. wracken, D. & L. Ger. wraken, Sw. vräka, O. Dan. vräke, N. Dan. vrage, to reject, refuse, throw off.]

1. Destruction; ruin; desolation. “The wreck of matter and the crush of worlds.” Addison.
2. Specifically, the destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled or sunk by the force of winds or waves.

Hard and obstinate As is a rock amidst the raging floods, ’Gainst which a ship, of succor desolate, Doth suffer wreck, both of herself and goods. Spenser.

3. The ruins of a ship stranded; a ship dashed against rocks or land, and broken, or otherwise rendered useless, by violence and fracture.
4. The remains of any thing ruined; dead weeds and grass.
5. (Law.) Goods, &c., which, after a shipwreck, are cast upon the land by the sea. Bouvier.
6. (Metallurgy.) The vessel in which ores are washed the third time.

(rĕk), v. t. [imp. & p. p. WRECKED (rĕkt); p. pr. & vb. n. WRECKING.] [See supra.]

1. To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving against the shore or on rocks, by causing to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to cause to suffer shipwreck. “Supposing that they saw the king’s ship wrecked.” Shak.
2. Hence, to bring wreck or ruin upon; to destroy; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.

Weak and envied, if they should conspire, They wreck themselves. Daniel.