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Destroy vs Zap - What's the difference?

destroy | zap |

As a verb destroy

is
to damage beyond use or repair
.

As a noun zap is

peg, pin, spigot.

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

    zap

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (colloquial) A sound made by a sudden release of electricity or some similar energy.
  • (colloquial) An electrical shock.
  • You might feel a little zap touching a metal doorknob when the air is dry.

    Verb

    (zapp)
  • To make a zapping sound.
  • To use a remote control to repeatedly change channels on a television.
  • To strike (something or someone) with electricity or energy, as by shooting.
  • They spent the whole movie zapping bad guys into oblivion.
  • To damage (especially electronics) with electrostatic discharge.
  • I think they zapped the processor.
  • To heat (something) in a microwave oven.
  • If it's not warm in the middle, zap it some more.
  • To delete or discard (electronic media).
  • They zapped a lot of files before realizing they had not backed up lately.
  • To further energize or charge (magnetic material).
  • They zapped my motor's magnets.

    Descendants

    * Catalan: * Dutch: (l) * Galician: (l), (l) * German: (l) * French: (l), (l) * Spanish: (l), (l) * Sweddish: (l)

    Interjection

    (en-interj)!
  • Representing the sound or action of a zap.
  • Then the computer went zap and I lost all my work.