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ravage
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ravage

rav·age [ rávvij ]


verb  (past and past participle rav·aged, present participle rav·ag·ing, 3rd person present singular rav·ag·es)
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb completely wreck or damage something: to cause overwhelming damage or destruction to something ( often passive )
a war-ravaged country

2. transitive verb wreck and plunder place: to plunder or sack a place or area
a village ravaged of all its valuables by army deserters



noun 
Definition:
 
act of destroying or plundering: the destruction, damaging, or plundering of something



plural noun rav·ag·es 
Definition:
 
damaging effects: the damaging or disfiguring effects of something
the ravages of time

[Early 17th century. < French ravager, alteration of ravine "rushing of water" < Latin rapere "seize"]

rav·age·ment noun
rav·ag·er noun
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