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Destroy vs Wipe - What's the difference?

destroy | wipe |

In lang=en terms the difference between destroy and wipe

is that destroy is to put down or euthanize while wipe is to remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away'', ''off'', or ''out .

As verbs the difference between destroy and wipe

is that destroy is
to damage beyond use or repair
while wipe is to move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface (cf rub).

As a noun wipe is

the act of wiping something or wipe can be the lapwing.

destroy

English

Verb

  • To damage beyond use or repair.
    • The earthquake destroyed several apartment complexes.
  • To cause destruction.
    • ''Hooligans destroy unprovoked
  • To neutralize, undo a property or condition.
    • ''Smoking destroys the natural subtlety of the palate
  • To put down or euthanize.
    • Destroying a rabid dog is required by law.
  • (colloquial) To defeat soundly.
  • (computing) To remove data.
    • The memory leak happened because we forgot to destroy the temporary lists.

    Synonyms

    * annihilate * break * demolish * kill * ruin * waste * See also

    Antonyms

    * build * construct * create * make * raise * repair

    Derived terms

    * destroyable * destroyer * destroyer escort * destroying angel

    Related terms

    * destruct * destructible * destruction * destructive

    wipe

    English

    (wikipedia wipe)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

    Verb

    (wip)
  • To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (cf. rub)
    • Melissa wiped her glasses with her shirt.
    I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.
    Tom started to wipe his eyes.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said politely
  • To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away'', ''off'', or ''out .
  • * (rfdate) Milton
    • Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon.
  • (obsolete) To cheat; to defraud; to trick; usually followed by out .
    • (Spenser)
  • * (rfdate) Robynson (More's Utopia)
    • If they by coveyne [covin] or gile be wiped beside their goods.
  • (computing) To erase.
    • I accidentally wiped my hard drive.
  • (plumbing) To make (a joint, as between pieces of lead pipe), by surrounding the junction with a mass of solder, applied in a plastic condition by means of a rag with which the solder is shaped by rubbing.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of wiping something.
    • multiple wipes of a computer's hard disk
  • A soft piece of cloth or cloth-like material used for wiping.
  • A kind of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another or with a special shape.

    • Derived terms

    * asswipe * baby wipe * wet wipe * wipe away * wipe off * wipe out * wipeout * wipe somebody's eye * wipe the floor * wipe the slate clean * wiper

    Etymology 2

    Compare (etyl) (m), (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The lapwing.