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   Wreck

   /rek/

   

   noun

   • 1. the destruction of a ship at sea; a shipwreck: "the survivors of the wreck" Similar destructionsinkingwreckingdevastationruinationruindemolitionsmashingshatteringdisintegration
   • ▪ a ship destroyed at sea: "the salvaging of treasure from wrecks" Similar shipwrecksunken shipsunken vesselderelicthulkshellskeletonhullframe
   • ▪ goods brought ashore by the sea from a wreck: "the profits of wreck"
   • 2. something, especially a vehicle or building, that has been badly damaged or destroyed: "the plane was reduced to a smouldering wreck" Similar wreckagedebrisdetritusremainderruinsremainsremnantsfragmentspiecesrelics
   • ▪ a road or rail crash: North American "a train wreck"
   • 3. a person whose physical or mental health or strength has failed: "the scandal left the family emotional wrecks"

   verb

   • 1. destroy or severely damage (a structure, vehicle, or similar): "the blast wrecked 100 houses" Similar demolishcrashsmashsmash upruindamagedamage beyond repairdestroybreak updismantlevandalizedefacedesecratesabotageleave in ruinsinformal:write offprangtrashtotal
   • ▪ spoil completely: "an eye injury wrecked his chances of a professional career" Similar ruinspoildisruptundomarplay havoc withmake a mess ofput an end toendbring to an endput a stop topreventfrustrateblightcrushquellquashdashdestroyscotchshatterdevastatedemolishsabotageinformal:mess upscrew uplouse upfoul upmake a hash ofdo input paid toput the lid onput the kibosh onstymiequeernixbanjaxblow a hole inscupperdishthrow a spanner in the works ofthrow a monkey wrench in the works ofeuchrecruelarchaic:bring to naughtOpposite facilitate
   • 2. cause the destruction of (a ship) by sinking or breaking up: "he was drowned when his ship was wrecked" Similar shipwrecksinkcapsizerun agroundbreak up
   • ▪ involve (someone) in a shipwreck: "sailors who had the misfortune to be wrecked on these coasts"
   • ▪ suffer or undergo shipwreck: archaic "my letters were in one of the vessels that wreck'd"
   • 3. engage in breaking up (badly damaged vehicles) or demolishing (old buildings) to obtain usable spares or scrap: North American "police began handing out warnings to people wrecking cars without a license"

   Word Origin Middle English (as a legal term denoting wreckage washed ashore): from Anglo-Norman French wrec, from the base of Old Norse reka ‘to drive’; related to wreak.

   Scrabble Points: 14

   • W

     4

   • R

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   • E

     1

   • C

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   • K

     5

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