destruct
/dɪˈstrʌkt
/verb [with object]
Cause deliberate, terminal damage to: the boys' war to destruct things...
- All sectors of society need to combine efforts to prevent teenagers from smoking which not only destructs their health and mind but also compels some of them to commit serious wrongdoings.
- As anticipated, the ruling Uri Party denounced the GNP's resolve, saying its struggle is irrational and aimed at destructing constitutional political order.
- As Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer at MTA, he oversaw the reconstruction of the 1 and 9 subway line section which was destructed during the September 11 attacks.
noun [in singular, usually as modifier]
The deliberate causing of terminal damage: press the destruct button...
- Now he had been firmly rebuffed, he was pressing the destruct button.
- One shows Sealab's lone sane character, Dr. Quinn, using 1-800 - Call-ATT to try to prevent Capt. Murphy from blowing up the base yet again; he gets through but Murphy hits the destruct button anyway.
- Still, it remains hard to believe he will push the destruct button.
Derivatives
destructor
/ noun ...- The robot can also be an observer, a soothsayer, a malcontent or a destructor.
- We cannot continue to protect and fund our own destructors.
- The pigeons, probably well used to such manoeuvres, took off timely, to the chagrin of their destructors.
Origin
1950s (originally US): back-formation from destruction.