annihilate

views updated May 29 2018

an·ni·hi·late / əˈnī-əˌlāt/ • v. [tr.] destroy utterly; obliterate: a crusade to annihilate evil. ∎  defeat utterly: the stronger force annihilated its opponent. ∎  Physics convert (a subatomic particle) into radiant energy.DERIVATIVES: an·ni·hi·la·tor / -ˌlātər/ n.an·ni·hi·la·tion / əˌnīəˈlāshən/ n.

annihilate

views updated Jun 08 2018

annihilate XVI. Superseded †annihil (XV) — (O)F. annihiler — late L. annihilāre (f. AN-1 + nihil nothing, NIL), from the pp. of which was derived the pp. annihilate (XIV), whence the inf. form; see -ATE2.
So annihilation XVII.