| 释义 |
destruction|dɪˈstrʌkʃən|
Also 4–5 destruccioun, (5 -uxion, -tyoun; 4–6 dis-, 5 dys-.
[a. OF. destructiun (12th c.), -cion, -tion (mod.F. dé-) = Pr. destruccio, Sp. destruccion, It. distruzione, ad. L. dēstructiōn-em, n. of action from dēstruĕre to destroy.]
The action of destroying; the fact or condition of being destroyed: the opposite of construction.
1. The action of demolishing a building or structure of any kind, of pulling to pieces, reducing to fragments, undoing, wasting, rendering useless, putting an end to, or doing away with anything material or immaterial; demolition.
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 4049 Aftir þe destruccion sal be Of þe empyre of Rome. c1386Chaucer Man of Law's T. 138 In destruccioun of mawmetrye And in encresse of Cristes lawe deere, They ben acordid. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xvi. 74 He asked þe destruccioun and þe vndoyng of his order. 1481Caxton Myrr. iii. xi. 158 That after the first destruxion of the world ther shold be other peple. 1520Caxton's Chron. Eng. iii. 19/2 He prophecyed the dystrucyon of Jerusalem. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 13 marg., The destruction of the citie of Aden. 1604Shakes. Oth. i. iii. 177 If she confesse that she was halfe the wooer, Destruction on my head, if my bad blame Light on the man. 1651Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxvii. 233 There should be no more an universall destruction of the world by Water. 1736Butler Anal. i. i. Wks. 1874 I. 28 There is no presumption..that the dissolution of the body is the destruction of our present reflecting powers. 1813T. Forster Atmosph. Phenom. (1815) 3 Theory of the formation and destruction of clouds. 1875Hamerton Intell. Life i. iv. 24 The work of repairing so great a destruction of muscle.
b. The action of ravaging or laying waste; havoc, ruin. Obs. (as distinct from the main sense.)
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 202 Destruction he makes of rentes and feez. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 416 He..said, i had, ogayne resowne, Done him grete destrucciowne. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. cxxxiv. 114 He did grete destruction to holy chirche. c1500Lancelot 1283 Of his realme the opin distruccioune.
c. The action of putting to death, slaughter; now chiefly said of multitudes of men or animals, and of noxious creatures.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 4 The destruccyon of Pharao & all his hoost. 1791Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest ix, I looked round for the instrument of destruction. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, Snodgrass bore under his [cloak] the instruments of destruction. Mod. Rewards for the destruction of beasts of prey.
d. personified.
1535Coverdale Job xxviii. 20 Destruccion [Wyclif perdicioun] & death saie, we haue herde tell of her with oure eares. 1595Shakes. John v. vii. 77 To push destruction and perpetuall shame, Out of the weake door of our fainting Land. 1810Scott Lady of L. iii. xi, Quench thou his light, Destruction dark!
2. The fact, condition, or state of being destroyed; ruin.
c1314Guy Warw. (A.) 6077 Wende we wille to þe douk Otoun, And bring him to destruccioun. 1375Barbour Bruce i. 204 To put hym to destructione. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 6 She thanked God humbly that had kepte her from shame and distruccion. 1535Coverdale Prov. x. 14 Y⊇ mouth of y⊇ foolish is nye destruccion. 1667Milton P.L. i. 137 All this mighty Host In horrible destruction laid thus low. 1841Lane Arab. Nts. I. 91 When the Prince heard their words, he felt assured of destruction.
3. A cause or means of destruction.
1526Dr. Magnus Lett. to Jas. V., 13 Feb. The Armestrongges..had avaunted thaymselves to be the destruction of twoe & fifty parisshe churches. 1548Hall Chron. 99 b, Not forseyng before, that this preferment should be his destruccion. 1611Bible Prov. x. 15 The destruction of the poore is their pouertie. 1798Canning, etc. Loves of Triangles in Anti-Jacobin 7 May (1852) 126 Watch the bright destruction as it flies. 1833H. Martineau Fr. Wines & Pol. iv. 58 The deplorable mistake which was likely to prove the destruction of the whole family.
†4. pl. = Ruins. Obs. rare.
1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xxi. 26 b, Neere that are the destructions of a high tower, which in times past was..the great temple. |