Destruo, déstruis, destruxi, destructum, destrúere. To destroy: to throwe downe that is builded.Construere & Destruere, contraria.Cic.Æuum destruit animos. Luca. Age abateth stout courage.Destruit eum infamia.Plin. iunior. Infamy dishonoureth or disgtateth him.Vetustas destruir. Oui. Continuance of time weareth away.Fortunam suam destrui Cæsar rebatur. Tac. That his good fortune was ouerthrowne.Honores destruere.Ouid.Mœnia.Virg.Testes. Quin. To disgrare or discredit witnesses by shewing their ill manners.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
dē-strŭo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to pull or tear down any thing built (opp. construo— 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.