destruo

dē-strŭo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to pull or tear down any thing built (opp. construo— [p. 561] for syn. cf.: demolior, diruo).

I.

Prop. (rare but class.):

navem, aedificium idem destruit facillime, qui construxit,

Cic. de Sen. 20, 72; so,

templum prope funditus,

Suet. Vesp. 9:

moenia,

Verg. A. 4, 326:

aras,

Vulg. Exod. 34, 13 et saep.—

B.

Poet. transf.:

crinemque manumque, i. e.,

to strip off crown and sceptre, Stat. Th. 12, 93.—

II.

Trop., to destroy, ruin, weaken (perh. not ante-Aug.):

destruere ac demoliri aliquid,

Liv. 34, 3:

tyrannidem,

Quint. 1, 10, 48:

orationem (opp. illustrare),

id. 11, 1, 2; cf.

finitionem (opp. confirmare),

id. 7, 3, 19:

singulos testes (opp. exornare),

id. 5, 7, 25 sq.:

hostem,

Tac. A. 2, 63:

senem,

id. H. 1, 6:

multa vetustas,

Ov. F. 5, 132; cf. id. M. 15, 235:

dicta vultu,

id. A. A. 2, 312:

legem,

Vulg. Rom. 3, 31.