I.v. a., to pull or tear down any thing built (opp. construo— for syn. cf.: demolior, diruo).
I. Prop. (rare but class.): “navem, aedificium idem destruit facillime, qui construxit,” Cic. de Sen. 20, 72; so, “templum prope funditus,” Suet. Vesp. 9: “moenia,” Verg. A. 4, 326: “aras,” Vulg. Exod. 34, 13 et saep.—
B. Poet. transf.: “crinemque manumque, i. e.,” to strip off crown and sceptre, Stat. Th. 12, 93.—
II. Trop., to destroy, ruin, weaken (perh. not ante-Aug.): “destruere ac demoliri aliquid,” Liv. 34, 3: “tyrannidem,” Quint. 1, 10, 48: “orationem (opp. illustrare),” id. 11, 1, 2; cf. “finitionem (opp. confirmare),” id. 7, 3, 19: “singulos testes (opp. exornare),” id. 5, 7, 25 sq.: “hostem,” Tac. A. 2, 63: “senem,” id. H. 1, 6: “multa vetustas,” Ov. F. 5, 132; cf. id. M. 15, 235: “dicta vultu,” id. A. A. 2, 312: “legem,” Vulg. Rom. 3, 31.
