destroy

verb (destroy, destroys, destroyed, destroying)

«destroy» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Everyday

To destroy something means to damage it so badly that it is ruined or no longer exists. tree →
To destroy can mean to completely beat someone in a game (informal). tree →
To destroy someone's hopes or plans means to end them. tree →

In the lessons

In stories fires, storms, floods and wars destroy houses and forests; villains try to destroy things. In science, habitats can be destroyed by cutting down forests, which harms animals. In everyday life, people safely destroy old papers with personal information. Phrases: «completely destroyed», «destroy evidence», «destroyed by fire».

Examples

The fire destroyed the old barn. tree →
The storm destroyed many homes. tree →
Cutting down rainforests destroys animals' habitats. tree →
The dog destroyed my slippers. tree →
Bacteria are destroyed by boiling water. tree →
Our team destroyed them 10–0! tree →
The news destroyed his hopes of winning. tree →
Shred old letters to destroy your details. tree →
Shall we never be able to destroy him? tree →

Note

Regular: destroyed, destroying (keep y after a vowel). Noun: destruction. Adjective: destructive. «Destroy» is stronger than «damage»: damaged things can be fixed; destroyed things usually cannot.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it is often God (or Israel, at His command) who destroys, as a punishment or to clear a land of wickedness; Abraham pleads that God not destroy Sodom.

Interpretation. Tradition notes Abraham's bargaining over Sodom as a model of pleading for mercy and justice, since the judge of all the earth must do justice.

Examples

And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city. (Torah NUM.24.19, JPS 1917) tree →
Peradventure ten shall be found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.' (Torah GEN.18.32, JPS 1917) tree →
Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.' (Torah GEN.18.31, JPS 1917) tree →
They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them; (Writings PSA.106.34, JPS 1917) tree →
The LORD said unto me: Go up against this land, destroy it.' (Prophets 2KI.18.25, JPS 1917) tree →
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself? (Writings ECC.7.16, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «destroy» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«destroy» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
Trees and pragmatics of «destroy» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«destroy» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.

This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/destroy/