destroy vs destruct — Destroy is a verb that means to put an end to the existence of something by damaging or attacking it, or to completely ruin or spoil something. For example: April didn t want to destroy her silk pillow in a pillow fight. Destruct is also a… … English dictionary of common mistakes and confusing words
destruct — /di strukt /, adj. 1. serving or designed to destroy: a destruct mechanism on a missile. n. 2. the act or process of intentional destruction: One out of ten launchings ended in destructs. v.t. 3. to destroy. v.i. 4. to be destroyed. [1630 40;… … Universalium
destruct — (v.) to destroy, 1958, probably a back formation from DESTRUCTION (Cf. destruction) in the jargon of U.S. aerospace and defense workers to refer to deliberate destruction of a missile in flight by a friendly agent; popularized 1966 in form self… … Etymology dictionary
destruct — 1. This is a back formation from destruction, formed as a specific alternative to destroy to denote a calculated action, originally with reference to malfunctioning space missiles, then in other military or related contexts, and later in… … Modern English usage
Destruct — De*struct , v. t. [L. destructus, p. p. of destruere. See {Destroy}.] To destroy. [Obs.] Mede. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
destroy — I (efface) verb abort, annihilate, blast, blight, blot out, break to pieces, bring to ruin, burn, consume, corrode, deal destruction, decimate, deface, demolish, desolate, destruct, destruere, devastate, devour, diruere, disintegrate, dissolve,… … Law dictionary
destruct — index destroy (efface) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
destruct — ☆ destruct [di strukt′, dē′strukt΄ ] n. [back form. < DESTRUCTION] the deliberate destruction of a malfunctioning missile, rocket, etc. after its launch vi. to be automatically destroyed vt. to destroy (a rocket, etc.) deliberately by remote… … English World dictionary
destroy — I (Roget s IV) v. 1. [To bring to nothing] Syn. ruin, demolish, exterminate, raze, annihilate, tear down, throw down, plunder, ransack, pillage, eradicate, do away with, overthrow, cause the downfall of, devastate, swallow up, butcher, extirpate … English dictionary for students
destroy*/*/*/ — [dɪˈstrɔɪ] verb [T] to damage or harm something so severely that it cannot exist as it was before An earthquake destroyed the town.[/ex] This action destroyed any hope of reaching an agreement.[/ex] • Word family: destroy Words in the same family … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
