{
    "term": "destroy",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "destroy",
            "heSheIt": "destroys"
        },
        "pastSimple": "destroyed",
        "pastParticiple": "destroyed",
        "ingForm": "destroying"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to damage something so badly that it no longer exists, works, etc.",
            "sensetop": "destroy something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The building was **completely destroyed** by fire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The earthquake damaged or destroyed countless homes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Some of the habitat has already been totally destroyed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They've destroyed all the evidence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Drugs can destroy the health and lives of young people."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He physically destroyed the computer by smashing it to pieces."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our greed may ultimately destroy the planet."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She seemed intent on destroying everything they had built up together."
                },
                {
                    "text": "That guy just single-handedly destroyed everything we've worked for."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bomb hit, instantly destroying the building."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The earthquake literally destroyed their villages."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rainforest is being systematically destroyed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These weapons are capable of destroying the entire planet."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This disease threatens to destroy many of our native trees."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a new attempt to destroy enemy positions"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The brigade's mission was to destroy the enemy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Heat gradually destroys vitamin C."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You have destroyed my hopes of happiness."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["completely", "entirely", "totally"],
                "verb + destroy": ["can", "could", "etc."],
                "phrases": [
                    "an attempt to destroy something",
                    "be capable of destroying something",
                    "be intent on destroying something"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to take all the value and pleasure from somebody's life; to ruin (= completely damage) somebody's life or reputation",
            "sensetop": "destroy somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Failure was slowly destroying him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She threatened to destroy my reputation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He wanted revenge on the man who had destroyed his life."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their lives have been virtually destroyed by this tragedy."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to kill an animal deliberately, usually because it is sick or not wanted",
            "sensetop": "destroy something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The injured horse had to be destroyed."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["humanely"],
                "phrases": ["have to be destroyed"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪ/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroy__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪz/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroys__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪd/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroyed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroying__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪ/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroy__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪz/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroys__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪd/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroyed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "de/destroy/destroying__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French destruire, based on Latin destruere, from de- (expressing reversal) + struere ‘build’."
}