pulverised

Everyday

1. Crushed into powder or tiny pieces: «pulverised rock», «pulverised coal». tree →
2. (informal) Beaten very heavily in a game or fight: «Our team got pulverised 7–0.» tree →
3. Completely destroyed: «The old building was pulverised by the wrecking ball.» tree →

In the lessons

In science and cooking it describes grinding solids into powder (rock, chalk, spices); in sport reports it is a strong, playful word for a huge defeat. Phrases: «pulverised into dust», «pulverised rock», «got pulverised».

Examples

• The miners pulverised the rock to get the gold out. tree →
• We pulverised chalk to make paint powder. tree →
• The pestle pulverised the spices in the bowl. tree →
• Our football team got pulverised by the champions. tree →
• The glacier pulverised the stones into fine sand. tree →
• The old car was pulverised in the crusher. tree →

Note

UK spelling: pulverised; US: pulverized. Noun: pulverisation. Science: crushing a solid into powder does not change what it is made of; it is a physical change, not a chemical one, and the powder dissolves faster because it has more surface.