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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.

The act of overthrowing, pulling down, or destroying a pile or structure; destruction by violence; utter overthrow; -- opposed to construction; as, the demolition of a house, of military works, of a town, or of hopes.

To corrupt or undermine in morals; to destroy or lessen the effect of moral principles on; to render corrupt or untrustworthy in morals, in discipline, in courage, spirit, etc.; to weaken in spirit or efficiency. The demoralizing example of profligate power and prosperous crime. Walsh. The vices of the nobility had dem…

He who, or that which, deodorizes; esp., an agent that destroys offensive odors.

That which is lost or destroyed. [R.] Paley.

To reduce by destroying or consuming the vital powers of; to exhaust, as a country of its strength or resources, a treasury of money, etc. Saturday Review.

depraved or degenerated; degeneracy; depravity. The depravation of his moral character destroyed his judgment. Sir G. C. Lewis.

To take away; to put an end; to destroy. [Obs.] 'Tis honor to deprive dishonored life. Shak.

Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as, desolate altars.

To destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

To destroy. [Obs.] Mede.

Liable to destruction; capable of being destroyed.

The act of destroying; a tearing down; a bringing to naught; subversion; demolition; ruin; slaying; devastation. The Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction. Esth. ix. 5. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. Shak. Destruction…

One who delights in destroying that which is valuable; one whose principles and influence tend to destroy existing institutions; a destructive.