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2 VERB To destroy someone means to ruin their life or to make their situation impossible to bear. □ [V n] If I was younger or more naive, the criticism would have destroyed me.

3 VERB [usu passive] If an animal is destroyed , it is killed, either because it is ill or because it is dangerous. □ [be V -ed] Lindsay was unhurt but the horse had to be destroyed.

4 → see also soul-destroying

de|stroy|er /d I strɔ I ə ^r / (destroyers ) N‑COUNT A destroyer is a small, heavily armed warship.

de|struc|tion ◆◇◇ /d I strʌ kʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed. □  …an international agreement aimed at halting the destruction of the ozone layer.

de|struc|tive /d I strʌ kt I v/ ADJ Something that is destructive causes or is capable of causing great damage, harm, or injury. □  …the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons. ●  de|struc|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □  …the size of armies and the destructiveness of their weapons. ●  de|struc|tive|ly ADV □  Power can be used creatively or destructively.

des|ul|tory /de səltri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm. [FORMAL ] □  The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.

de|tach /d I tæ tʃ/ (detaches , detaching , detached )

1 VERB If you detach one thing from another that it is fixed to, you remove it. If one thing detaches from another, it becomes separated from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Detach the white part of the application form and keep it. □ [V n + from ] It is easy to detach the currants from the stems. □ [V + from ] There was an accident when the towrope detached from the car. [Also V ]

2 VERB If you detach yourself from something, you become less involved in it or less concerned about it than you used to be. □ [V pron-refl + from ] It helps them detach themselves from their problems and become more objective.

de|tach|able /d I tæ tʃəb ^ə l/ ADJ If a part of an object is detachable , it has been made so that it can be removed from the object. □  …a cake tin with a detachable base.

de|tached /d I tæ tʃt/

1 ADJ Someone who is detached is not personally involved in something or has no emotional interest in it. □  He tries to remain emotionally detached from the prisoners, but fails.

2 ADJ A detached house is one that is not joined to any other house. [mainly BRIT ]

de|tach|ment /d I tæ tʃmənt/ (detachments )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Detachment is the feeling that you have of not being personally involved in something or of having no emotional interest in it. □  …a doctor's professional detachment.

2 N‑COUNT A detachment is a group of soldiers who are sent away from the main group to do a special job.

de|tail ◆◆◇ /diː te I l/ (details , detailing , detailed ) The pronunciation /d I te I l/ is also used in American English. 1 N‑COUNT The details of something are its individual features or elements. □ [+ of ] The details of the plan are still being worked out. □  I recall every detail of the party.

2 N‑PLURAL [adj N ] Details about someone or something are facts or pieces of information about them. □ [+ of ] See the bottom of this page for details of how to apply for this exciting offer.

3 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A detail is a minor point or aspect of something, as opposed to the central ones. □  Only minor details now remain to be settled.

4 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the small features of something which are often not noticed as detail . □  We like his attention to detail and his enthusiasm.