Nearby Words

wrecking

[rek-ing] Origin

wreck·ing

[rek-ing]
noun
1.
the act, work, or business of a wrecker.
adjective
2.
employed or for use in wrecking: a wrecking crew.

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Wrecking is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.

Origin:
1795–1805; wreck + -ing1
Dictionary.com Unabridged

wreck

[rek]
noun
1.
any building, structure, or thing reduced to a state of ruin.
2.
wreckage, goods, etc., remaining above water after a shipwreck, especially when cast ashore.
3.
the ruin or destruction of a vessel in the course of navigation; shipwreck.
4.
a vessel in a state of ruin from disaster at sea, on rocks, etc.
5.
the ruin or destruction of anything: the wreck of one's hopes.
EXPAND
6.
a person of ruined health; someone in bad shape physically or mentally: The strain of his work left him a wreck.
COLLAPSE
verb (used with object)
7.
to cause the wreck of (a vessel); shipwreck.
8.
to involve in a wreck.
9.
to cause the ruin or destruction of: to wreck a car.
10.
to tear down; demolish: to wreck a building.
11.
to ruin or impair severely: Fast living wrecked their health.
verb (used without object)
12.
to be involved in a wreck; become wrecked: The trains wrecked at the crossing.
13.
to act as a wrecker; engage in wrecking.

Origin:
1200–50; (noun) Middle English wrec, wrech, wrek < Old Danish wrækæ wreck; (v.) late Middle English, derivative of the noun

un·wrecked, adjective

1. rack, wrack, wreak, wreck; 2. racked, wracked, wreaked, wrecked.


9. destroy, devastate, shatter. See spoil.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To wrecking
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

wreck
1228, "goods cast ashore after a shipwreck, flotsam," from Anglo-Fr. wrec, from O.N. *wrek (cf. Norw., Icel. rek) "wreck, flotsam," related to reka "to drive, push" (see wreak). The meaning "a shipwreck" is first recorded 1463; that of "a wrecked ship" is from 1500. General
EXPAND
sense of "remains of anything that has been ruined" is recorded from 1713; applied by 1795 to dissipated persons. The verb meaning "to destroy, ruin" is first recorded 1510. Wreckage is first attested 1837.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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