| 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. |
| 6. | to engage in destruction. |

de·stroy (dĭ-stroi') v. de·stroyed, de·stroy·ing, de·stroys v. tr.
To be destructive; cause destruction: "Too much money destroys as surely as too little" (John Simon). [Middle English destroien, from Old French destruire, from Vulgar Latin *dēstrūgere, back-formation from Latin dēstrūctus, past participle of dēstruere, to destroy : dē-, de- + struere, to pile up; see ster-2 in Indo-European roots.] |