Word
havoc
Phoneticshav·oc, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhævək/
UK/hˈævək/
In Japanese
chaos; turmoil; pandemonium
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definitions
01chaos and damage
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a situation where there is a lot of damage, confusion, or lack of order.
n. widespread destruction, devastation, or chaotic disorder. Usually uncountable.
“The heavy snowstorm caused havoc on the motorways this morning.”
“The sudden change in interest rates played havoc with the company's long-term financial planning.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'wreak havoc'.
Synonyms
02to cause damage
C2 · Proficiency Literary
v. to cause a lot of trouble or damage to something.
v. to bring about devastation or chaos. Transitive use is less common than the noun form.
“The invading army continued to havoc the countryside for weeks.”
“The storm proceeded to havoc the coastal villages, leaving a trail of ruined homes in its wake.”
Usage
Often appears in older texts or poetic descriptions of war.
Etymology
From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”), of obscure origin. Probably from a derivative of Old French haf, hef (“hook”), from Frankish haf, habbjā, happjā (“pruning-hook, scythe”), derived from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to take up, lift”), related to Old French havee (“handful”), Old French havet (“pruning-hook”), Old High German habba, heppa (“pruning-hook, scythe”), modern German Hippe (“billhook”). If so, then also related to English heave and doublet of hatchet.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0