Home UK English ravage

Meaning of ravage in English:

ravage

Pronunciation /ˈravɪdʒ/

See synonyms for ravage

Translate ravage into Spanish

verb

[with object]

  • Cause severe and extensive damage to.

    ‘the hurricane ravaged southern Florida’
    • ‘Two kings lost their thrones and the country was periodically ravaged by civil war.’
    • ‘Once regarded as the economic miracle of West Africa, his country is ravaged by civil war.’
    • ‘In those days, Europe was periodically ravaged by plagues.’
    • ‘The trees will be planted in small natural openings and areas ravaged by fires or logging.’
    • ‘After the British evacuated, patriots returned to ruined properties and a city ravaged by fires.’
    • ‘The Guru's tender body was ravaged by the disease.’
    • ‘Bush was expected to arrive in Florida today to tour areas ravaged by hurricane Ivan.’
    • ‘In 1390 a great plague ravaged the country.’
    • ‘But not even Ricky Williams could prosper behind this line, ravaged by injuries and inconsistent play.’
    • ‘His squad were ravaged by injury, although he didn't seek to use this as an excuse.’
    • ‘But in an economy ravaged by two decades of war, jobs are scarce.’
    • ‘During these years, both sides ravaged the countryside in an attempt to starve the enemy.’
    • ‘Britain tried to implement various formulas to bring independence to a land ravaged by violence.’
    • ‘Thus Demons found their way into the world, and great magic ravaged the lands.’
    • ‘Darkness unleashed, it ravaged the land, destroying everything in its path.’
    • ‘Hurricane Ivan is also widely expected to hit the already ravaged State of Florida.’
    • ‘Rabies so ravaged the population that there were very few raccoons left.’
    • ‘Nothing actually stopped this Viking invasion until 892, when pestilence so ravaged the army that they finally dispersed.’
    • ‘She has just begun chemotherapy and her immune system is so ravaged that the most innocuous virus could kill her.’
    lay waste, devastate, ruin, leave in ruins, destroy, wreak havoc on, leave desolate, level, raze, demolish, wipe out, wreck, damage
    devastated, ruined, wrecked, desolate
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noun

ravages

  • 1The destructive effects of something.

    ‘his face had withstood the ravages of time’
    • ‘No more than a shell, it sits almost apologetically, ruined by the ravages of time.’
    • ‘Did it all just fall apart, ruined by the ravages of time and neglect?’
    • ‘It's even less fair to airbrush a 60-year-old celebrity and present her as someone who's managed to avoid the ravages of time.’
    • ‘And one more thing, how come that Scotland and Wales escape the worst ravages of Global warming?’
    • ‘Has the Ark, or some of it, survived the ravages of time in some form?’
    • ‘The granite base is intact, and has withstood the constant ravages of time.’
    • ‘The only way to escape the ravages of the plague is to find a place the zombies can't reach.’
    • ‘Hinduism has survived the ravages of thousands of years in spite of its own inherent weaknesses.’
    • ‘How about a storage system that can withstand the ravages of constant change?’
    • ‘Even the English king Edward I failed to escape the ravages of foot-and-mouth.’
    • ‘When Pensacola suffered the ravages of a fire, the French again sent relief.’
    • ‘Who, amongst us, is invulnerable to the ravages of disease?’
    • ‘Every living creature, including plants, must contend with the ravages of diseases and parasites.’
    • ‘Younger women are also not immune to the ravages of this disease.’
    • ‘Almost miraculously, these structures were spared the ravages of the 1906 earthquake.’
    • ‘I prayed that they might be spared the ravages of Ebola epidemics.’
    • ‘No business is spared the ravages of these elements.’
    • ‘Back in 1992, my brother was hospitalized, his body wracked by the ravages of AIDS.’
    • ‘Unfortunately for him, icons are not supposed to succumb to the ravages of age.’
    • ‘He had endured the ravages of cancer bravely and patiently till the end.’
    damaging effects, ill effects, scars
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    1. 1.1Acts of destruction.
      ‘the ravages committed by man’
      • ‘Countless multitudes suffer the ravages of war in Somalia.’
      • ‘While Sitka spruce can withstand the ravages inflicted by deer, other species are not so hardy.’
      • ‘Few expected the ravages of war, and none expected the deprivation of imprisonment.’
      • ‘One simple problem is that there is nothing funny about the ravages of war.’
      • ‘Nature repairs her ravages - repairs them with her sunshine and with human labour.’
      • ‘Eventually, though, nature's sudden ravages are repaired, a little bit at a time.’
      acts of destruction, destruction, damage, devastation, ruin, havoc, depredation, depredations, wreckage
      View synonyms

Origin

Early 17th century from French ravager, from earlier ravage, alteration of ravine ‘rush of water’.