ravage

ravage
I. noun Etymology: French, from Middle French, from ravir to ravish — more at ravish Date: circa 1611 1. an act or practice of ravaging 2. damage resulting from ravaging ; violently destructive effect <
the ravages of time
>
II. verb (ravaged; ravaging) Date: circa 1611 transitive verb to wreak havoc on ; affect destructively <
a land ravaged by war
>
intransitive verb to commit destructive actions • ravagement nounravager noun Synonyms: ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying. ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction <
a hurricane ravaged the coast
>
. devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area <
an earthquake devastated the city
>
. waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action <
years of drought had wasted the area
>
. sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place <
barbarians sacked ancient Rome
>
. pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack <
settlements pillaged by Vikings
>
. despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction <
the Nazis despoiled the art museums
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • ravage — [ ravaʒ ] n. m. • 1355; de ravir (1o) 1 ♦ Vx Action de ravager; dommage, dégât important causé par des hommes avec violence et soudaineté. ⇒ dévastation, pillage. Le ravage d une région par des pillards. ⇒ 2. sac. « Il fallait que les ravages des …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ravagé — ravage [ ravaʒ ] n. m. • 1355; de ravir (1o) 1 ♦ Vx Action de ravager; dommage, dégât important causé par des hommes avec violence et soudaineté. ⇒ dévastation, pillage. Le ravage d une région par des pillards. ⇒ 2. sac. « Il fallait que les… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Ravage — means to devastate or destroy something, wreaking destruction, ransacking.It may also refer to one of the following: *Ravage 2099, a fictional superhero, set in the far future, from Marvel Comics *Ravage (Marvel Comics), a fictional villain at… …   Wikipedia

  • Ravage — Rav age (r[a^]v [asl]j; 48), n. [F., fr. (assumed) L. rapagium, rapaticum, fr. rapere to carry off by force, to ravish. See {Rapacious}, {Ravish}.] Desolation by violence; violent ruin or destruction; devastation; havoc; waste; as, the ravage of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ravage — [rav′ij] n. [Fr < OFr ravir: see RAVISH] 1. the act or practice of violently destroying; destruction 2. [usually pl.] ruin; devastating damage [the ravages of time] vt. ravaged, ravaging [Fr ravager < RAVAGE the n.] …   English World dictionary

  • Ravage — Rav age, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ravaged} (r[a^]v [asl]jd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Ravaging} (r[a^]v [asl]*j[i^]ng).] [F. ravager. See {Ravage}, n.] To lay waste by force; to desolate by violence; to commit havoc or devastation upon; to spoil; to plunder; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ravage — (v.) 1610s, from Fr. ravager lay waste, devastate, from O.Fr. ravage destruction, especially by flood, 14c., from ravir to take away hastily (see RAVISH (Cf. ravish)). Related: Ravaged; ravaging …   Etymology dictionary

  • ravage — ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil, spoliate are comparable when they mean to lay waste or bare by acts of violence (as plundering or destroying). Ravage implies violent, severe, and often cumulative destruction accomplished… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • ravage — Ravage. s. m. Ruine, degast qui se fait avec violence & avec rapidité. Les pluyes, les vents, les glaces ont fait de grands ravages. les troupes ennemies font d horribles ravages, font ravage en ce pays là. les sangliers, les bestes font des… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Ravage — (franz., spr. wāsch ), Verheerung …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Ravage — (frz., spr. wahsch ), Verheerung …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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