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Meaning of lay waste
to cause severe damage or destruction to something
Etymology of lay waste
The phrase "lay waste" has its roots in Old English and Middle English, where "waste" meant "desolate" or "uninhabited"
Historically, the phrase was used to describe the act of pillaging or plundering a town or city, leaving it in a state of destruction and desolation
Synonyms
devastate
destroy
ruin
demolish
annihilate
raze
level
pulverize
shatter
smash
wreck
desolate
lay low
prostrate
flatten
crush
overwhelm
pillage
plunder
ravage
sack
loot
maraud
vandalize
deface
disfigure
mutilate
maim
cripple
incapacitate
disable
weaken
enfeeble
debilitate
exhaust
deplete
drain
sap
undermine
subvert
sabotage
wreck
demolish
dismantle
disassemble
break
shatter
splinter
fragment
fracture
disintegrate
corrode
erode
wear
tear
deteriorate
degenerate
decline
decay
Definitions
- to cause severe damage or destruction to something, typically in a violent or deliberate manner
- * to make something useless or ineffective
Usage Examples
- The enemy army laid waste to the city, leaving nothing but rubble and ash in their wake
- * The hurricane laid waste to the coastal town, destroying homes and businesses