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A wall raised behind another, to supply its place when breached or destroyed. [R.] Cf. Contramure. Knolles.

To destroy the power or ruling influence of; to subdue completely; to mortify. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Gal. v. 24.

To press or bruise between two hard bodies; to squeeze, so as to destroy the natural shape or integrity of the parts, or to force together into a mass; as, to crush grapes. Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut. Lev. xxii. 24. The ass . . . thrust herself unto the wall, a…

Cucumber beetle. (Zoöl.) (a) A small, black flea-beetle (Crepidodera cucumeris), which destroys the leaves of cucumber, squash, and melon vines. (b) The squash beetle. -- Cucumber tree.(a) A large ornamental or shade tree of the genus Magnolia (M. acuminata), so called from a slight resemblance of its young fruit to…

To put an untimely death; to put an end to; to destroy. "Irencut off by martyrdom." Addison. (c) To interrupt; as, to cut off communication; to cut off (the flow of) steam from (the boiler to) a steam engine. (d) To intercept; as,, to cut off an enemy's retreat.

A ruffian; a bravo; a destroyer. [Obs.]

rt, away; or sometimes to de. Cf. Dis-. It is negative and opposite in derange, deform, destroy, etc. It is intensive in deprave, despoil, declare, desolate, etc.

Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile; flagitious; as, deadly enemies. Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly. Shak.

Personified: The destroyer of life, -- conventionally represented as a skeleton with a scythe. Death! great proprietor of all. Young. And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that at on him was Death. Rev. vi. 8.

A mortal or crushing blow; a stroke or event which kills or destroys. The deathblow of my hope. Byron.

To destroy. [Obs.] Shak.

To destroy a considerable part of; as, to decimate an army in battle; to decimate a people by disease.

To destroy or mar the face or external appearance of; to disfigure; to injure, spoil, or mar, by effacing or obliterating important features or portions of; as, to deface a monument; to deface an edifice; to deface writing; to deface a note, deed, or bond; to deface a record. "This high face defaced." Emerson. So by fa…

To harm or destroy the good fame or reputation of; to disgrace; especially, to speak evil of maliciously; to dishonor by slanderous reports; to calumniate; to asperse.

To undo; to disfigure; to destroy. [Obs.] His unkindness may defeat my life. Shak.

Anything that destroys beauty, grace, or propriety; irregularity; absurdity; gross deviation from other or the established laws of propriety; as, deformity in an edifice; deformity of character. Confounded, that her Maker's eyes Should look so near upon her foul deformities. Milton.

That which destroys. [Obs.] They [the Scriptures] are the only deletery of heresies. Jer. Taylor.

Adapted to destroy or obliterate. [R.] Evelyn.

To overwhelm, as with a deluge; to cover; to overspread; to overpower; to submerge; to destroy; as, the northern nations deluged the Roman empire with their armies; the land is deluged with woe. At length corruption, like a general fldeluge all. Pope.

To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, or a wall. I expected the fabric of my book would long since have been demolished, and laid even with the ground. Tillotson.