vandalise
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To deliberately damage or destroy property, especially public property, in a senseless or malicious way. The action is typically associated with acts of vandalism, such as breaking, defacing, or spoiling something.
Usage
- The verb vandalise is used to describe the intentional act of causing damage. It is often used in the context of public spaces, buildings, vehicles, or artworks.
- It is a transitive verb and requires a direct object (the thing that is damaged).
- Example Structure:
Examples
- Verb:
- Protesters vandalised several statues in the city square.
- The abandoned building has been vandalised with graffiti.
- It is a crime to vandalise public property like buses or park benches.
Advanced Usage
- "to be/get vandalised": This passive form is common when the focus is on the object that was damaged, not the person who caused the damage.
- The newly renovated playground was vandalised just a week after it opened.
Variants and Related Words
- Vandalism (n): The action or crime of deliberately destroying or damaging property.
- The police are investigating an act of vandalism at the school.
- Vandal (n): A person who deliberately destroys or damages property.
- The vandals who spray-painted the wall were caught on camera.
Synonyms
- Deface: To spoil the surface or appearance of something, e.g., by drawing or writing on it.
- Destroy: To damage something so severely that it no longer exists or functions.
- Trash (informal): To wreck or destroy a place.
- Wreck: To destroy or severely damage something.
Antonyms
- Preserve: To maintain something in its original or existing state.
- Protect: To keep safe from harm or damage.
- Restore: To bring back to a former, original, or normal condition.
Related Phrases
- To cause criminal damage: A more formal or legal term for vandalising property.
- To smash up: An informal phrasal verb meaning to vandalise by breaking things.
- The rioters smashed up shop windows.
Verb
- destroy wantonly, as through acts of vandalism
- vandalize the park