DESTRUCTION


Meaning of DESTRUCTION in English

de ‧ struc ‧ tion W3 /dɪˈstrʌkʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ destroyer , ↑ destruction ; adjective : ↑ indestructible , ↑ destructive ; verb : ↑ destroy ; adverb : ↑ destructively ]

[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: destructus , past participle of destruere ; ⇨ ↑ destroy ]

the act or process of destroying something or of being destroyed ⇨ destroy

destruction of

the destruction of the rainforest

weapons of mass destruction

the environmental destruction caused by the road building programme

The floods brought death and destruction to the area.

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COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + destruction

▪ total/complete destruction

In a populated area, a wave that high would cause total destruction.

▪ wholesale destruction formal (=total)

It was an act of war, the wholesale destruction of a city.

▪ wanton destruction (=done deliberately and without caring about it)

People were shocked by the wanton destruction that occurred during the riots.

▪ environmental destruction

The islands are already threatened by environmental destruction.

▪ forest/rainforest destruction

a Brazilian report on rainforest destruction

▪ habitat destruction (=of the natural homes of plants and animals)

Habitat destruction has reduced elephant herds in central Africa.

▪ widespread destruction

The rains caused widespread destruction to crops.

▪ great/massive destruction

Much of the city was rebuilt after the massive destruction of World War II.

▪ ozone destruction

Ozone destruction is most severe over the Antarctic due to climatic and atmospheric extremes.

■ verbs

▪ cause/lead to/bring about destruction

It's clear that the bomb was intended to cause death and destruction.

▪ wreak destruction formal (=cause destruction)

The destruction wrought by the hurricane left thousands of people homeless.

■ phrases

▪ weapons of mass destruction (=weapons intended to cause a lot of death and destruction)

The country is believed to have the potential to develop weapons of mass destruction.

▪ a trail of destruction (=a long line of things that have been destroyed)

The accident, involving five vehicles, caused a trail of destruction on the motorway.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.