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destruction

n.
US //dɪˈstɹəkʃən// UK //dɪstɹˈʌkʃən// de·struc·tion
  1. 1 the act of destroying (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of damaging something so badly that it is completely ruined or no longer exists.

    the action of causing such severe damage to an object or entity that it ceases to exist or function.

    Example

    The sudden flood caused the total destruction of several homes along the river.

    Example

    The deliberate destruction of cultural heritage sites during the conflict was condemned by international observers as a war crime.
  2. 2 the state of being destroyed (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the state of being ruined or the damage left behind after a disaster.

    the condition of having been destroyed; the physical remains or state of ruin following a destructive event.

    Example

    We were shocked by the scale of destruction left behind by the storm.

    Example

    Surveying the destruction, the emergency teams realised that the infrastructure would take years to fully rebuild.
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  1. 3 a group of cats (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    a special name for a group of wild or homeless cats.

    a collective noun specifically used for a group of feral cats.

    Example

    A destruction of feral cats lived in the old warehouse near the docks.

    Example

    The author used the term 'a destruction of cats' to evoke a sense of wildness and disorder in the abandoned city.

    Usage

    This is a collective noun and is rarely used in everyday conversation.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a 'term of venery' or a poetic collective noun; students should know it exists but use 'group' or 'colony' in normal speech.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English destruccioun, from Old French destrucion, from Latin dēstructiō, dēstructiōnem.

Idioms1 entry

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