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Meaning of lays waste
The primary meaning of "lays waste" is to cause severe damage or destruction to something, making it uninhabitable or unusable.
Etymology of lays waste
The phrase "lays waste" originates from Old English and Germanic roots, with "waste" coming from the Old English word "west" and the Old Norse word "væsta", both meaning "to lay waste" or "to destroy".
Historically, the phrase was used to describe the act of destroying or devastating an area, often in the context of warfare or conflict.
Synonyms
devastates
annihilates
demolishes
destroys
ravages
ruins
lays ruin
wrecks
spoils
mars
defaces
disfigures
desecrates
profanes
despoils
pillages
plunderes
ransacks
sacks
devastates
lays low
obliterates
exterminates
eradicates
extinguishes
extinguished
demolishes
dismantles
disintegrates
shatters
smashes
crushes
pulverizes
annihilates
liquidates
exterminates
abolishes
abrogates
invalidates
nullifies
obliterates
Definitions
- To cause severe damage or destruction to an area or place, making it uninhabitable or unusable.
- * To use or expend something recklessly or extravagantly, often to the point of depletion.
Usage Examples
- The hurricane laid waste to the coastal town, leaving thousands of people homeless.
- * The company's reckless spending laid waste to their financial resources, leading to bankruptcy.