wreck

wreck
noun
1》 the destruction of a ship at sea; a shipwreck.
    ↘a ship destroyed in such a way.
    ↘Law goods brought ashore by the sea from a wreck.
2》 a building, vehicle, etc. that has been destroyed or badly damaged.
    ↘N. Amer. a road or rail crash.
3》 a person whose physical or mental health or strength has failed: an emotional wreck.
verb
1》 cause the destruction of (a ship) by sinking or breaking up.
    ↘[as noun wrecking] chiefly historical the practice of destroying a ship in order to steal the cargo.
    ↘archaic suffer or undergo shipwreck.
2》 destroy or severely damage.
    ↘spoil completely: the eye injury wrecked his chances.
3》 [usu. as noun wrecking] chiefly N. Amer. engage in breaking up badly damaged vehicles or demolishing old buildings to obtain usable spares or scrap.
Origin
ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. wrec, from the base of ON reka 'to drive'; related to wreak.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:

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  • Wreck — Wreck, n. [OE. wrak, AS. wr[ae]c exile, persecution, misery, from wrecan to drive out, punish; akin to D. wrak, adj., damaged, brittle, n., a wreck, wraken to reject, throw off, Icel. rek a thing drifted ashore, Sw. vrak refuse, a wreck, Dan.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wreck — (engl. Wrack) steht für Wreck (Band), USA Big Wreck, US Band Siehe auch Fat Wreck Chords Star Wreck Wreck Island Shipwreck …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wreck — Wreck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wrecked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wrecking}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving it against the shore or on rocks, by causing it to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wreck — Ⅰ. wreck UK US /rek/ verb [T] ► to destroy or badly damage something: »Several protesters set out to wreck the company s headquarters. ► to spoil a chance, plan, etc.: be wrecked by sth »The deal was wrecked by the recent turmoil in the debt… …   Financial and business terms

  • wreck — wreck·age; wreck·er; wreck·ful; wreck; ship·wreck; …   English syllables

  • Wreck — Wreck, v. i. 1. To suffer wreck or ruin. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. To work upon a wreck, as in saving property or lives, or in plundering. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wreck — may refer to:* A collision of an automobile, aircraft or other vehicle * Shipwreck, the remains of a ship after a crisis at sea * Receiver of Wreck, an official of the British government whose main task is to process incoming reports of wreck *… …   Wikipedia

  • Wreck — Wreck, v. t. & n. See 2d & 3d {Wreak}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wreck — [n] severe damage or severely damaged goods collapse, crash, crate, debacle, debris, derelict, destruction, devastation, disruption, fender bender*, heap*, hulk*, jalopy*, junk*, junker*, litter, mess, pile up*, rear ender*, relic, ruin, ruins,… …   New thesaurus

  • wreck — index damage (noun), damage (verb), debacle, despoil, destroy (efface), devastate, disable, mutilate …   Law dictionary

  • wreck — vb *ruin, dilapidate Analogous words: *destroy, demolish, raze: *injure, damage, impair Contrasted words: *save, preserve, conserve …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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