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Purge vs Destroy - What's the difference?

purge | destroy |

In transitive terms the difference between purge and destroy

is that purge is to clarify; to clear the dregs from (liquor) while destroy is to put down or euthanize.

In intransitive terms the difference between purge and destroy

is that purge is to have or produce frequent evacuations from the intestines, as by means of a cathartic while destroy is to cause destruction.

As a noun purge

is an act of purging.

purge

English

(wikipedia purge)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An act of .
  • (medicine) An evacuation of the bowels or a vomiting.
  • A cleansing of pipes.
  • A forcible removal of people, for example, from political activity.
  • Stalin liked to ensure that his purges were not reversible.
  • That which purges; especially, a medicine that evacuates the intestines; a cathartic.
  • (Arbuthnot)

    Verb

    (purg)
  • to clean thoroughly; to cleanse; to rid of impurities
  • (religion) to free from sin, guilt, or the burden or responsibility of misdeeds
  • To remove by cleansing; to wash away.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxix. 9
  • Purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
  • * Addison
  • We'll join our cares to purge away / Our country's crimes.
  • (medicine) to void (the bowels); to vomit.
  • (medicine) To operate on (somebody) as a cathartic, or in a similar manner.
  • (legal) to clear of a charge, suspicion, or imputation
  • To clarify; to clear the dregs from (liquor).
  • To become pure, as by clarification.
  • To have or produce frequent evacuations from the intestines, as by means of a cathartic.
  • 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