Desolate vs Slay - What's the difference?
desolate | slay | Related terms |
Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
* Bible, Jer. ix. 11
* Tennyson
Barren and lifeless.
Made unfit for habitation or use; laid waste; neglected; destroyed.
Dismal or dreary.
Sad, forlorn and hopeless.
* Keble
To deprive of inhabitants.
To devastate or lay waste somewhere.
To abandon or forsake something.
To make someone sad, forlorn and hopeless.
To kill, murder.
(literary) To eradicate or stamp out.
(by extension, colloquial) To defeat, overcome.
* 1956', “Giants '''Slay Bears in Pro Title Battle”, in ''Lodi News-Sentinel , 1956 December 31,
* 1985', “Redskins '''slay Giants; Thiesmann shatters leg”, in ''The Gadsden Times , 1985 November 19,
* 1993 , Jack Curry, “
(slang) To delight or overwhelm, especially with laughter.
Desolate is a related term of slay.
As verbs the difference between desolate and slay
is that desolate is to deprive of inhabitants while slay is to kill, murder.As an adjective desolate
is deserted and devoid of inhabitants.desolate
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- a desolate''' isle; a '''desolate''' wilderness; a '''desolate house
- I will make Jerusalem a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate , without an inhabitant.
- And the silvery marish flowers that throng / The desolate creeks and pools among.
- desolate altars
- He was left desolate by the early death of his wife.
- voice of the poor and desolate
Verb
(desolat)External links
* * * ----slay
English
Verb
- The knight slew the dragon.
- Our foes must all be slain .
- You must slay these thoughts.
page 8.
page D1-5.
Yanks’ Bullpen Falls Short Again”, in The New York Times , 1993 April 21:
- The Yankees were actually slayed by two former Yankees because Rich Gossage pitched one scoreless inning in relief of Eckersley to notch his first victory.
- Ha ha! You slay me!
Usage notes
* The alternative past tense and past participle form "slayed" is most strongly associated with the slang sense, "to delight or overwhelm": *: {{quote-book, i2=*::, 1929, Harry Charles Witwer, Yes Man's Landcitation, passage="Cutey, you slayed me !" grins Jackie, working fast. "I guess that's what made the rest of 'em look so bad — you was so good!"}} * In recent use, "slayed" is also often found associated with the other senses as well. However, this is widely considered nonstandard."But slayed cannot be considered established in such use. Whether it eventually becomes established remains to be seen." — '>citation * A review of US usage 2000-2009 in COCA suggests that "slayed" is increasing in popularity, but remains less common than "slew". It is very rare in UK usage (BNC).