— destroyable , adj.
/di stroy"/ , v.t.
1. to reduce (an object) to useless fragments, a useless form, or remains, as by rending, burning, or dissolving; injure beyond repair or renewal; demolish; ruin; annihilate.
2. to put an end to; extinguish.
3. to kill; slay.
4. to render ineffective or useless; nullify; neutralize; invalidate.
5. to defeat completely.
v.i.
6. to engage in destruction.
[ 1175-1225; ME destroyen destruire destrugere, for L destruere ( de- DE- + struere to pick up, build) ]
Syn. 1. smash, level, waste, ravage, devastate. DESTROY, DEMOLISH, RAZE imply reducing a thing to uselessness. To DESTROY is to reduce something to nothingness or to take away its powers and functions so that restoration is impossible: Fire destroys a building. Disease destroys tissues. To DEMOLISH is to destroy something organized or structured: to demolish a machine. To RAZE is to level down to the ground: to raze a fortress. 2. extirpate, annihilate, uproot.
Ant. 1, 2. create.