verb
cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
-
The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion
• Derivationally related forms: ↑scourge (for: ↑scourge), ↑ravage (for: ↑ravage), ↑ravaging (for: ↑ravage), ↑desolation (for: ↑desolate), ↑devastation (for: ↑devastate), ↑waster (for: ↑waste)
• Hyponyms: ↑ruin
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something
-
Something ——s something
* * *
lay waste to (or lay something (to) waste)
completely destroy
a land laid waste by war
* * *
lay waste to
: to cause very bad damage to (something)
The fire laid waste to the land. [=the fire caused great destruction to the land]
• • •
Main Entry: ↑lay
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• • •
Main Entry: ↑waste
Useful english dictionary. 2012.