The word "ravage" is spelled with six letters making use of three vowels and three consonants. The IPA phonetic transcription of "ravage" is /ˈrævɪdʒ/. The first syllable is stressed, and the vowel sound is an "æ" representing the short "a" sound. The "v" and "g" sounds make use of their regular pronunciations, and "e" at the end is silent. "Ravage" means severe or extensive damage, destruction or ruin, often resulting from natural disasters or wars.
Ravage is a verb that refers to the act of causing severe destruction, devastation, or ruin to someone or something. It is often used to describe the violent and widespread effects of upheaval, war, or natural disasters.
When used metaphorically, ravage means to deeply or profoundly affect someone or something, leaving an enduring impact or leaving them in a state of disarray or ruin.
In the physical sense, ravage conveys the significant damage caused by an intense and relentless force. It implies the complete alteration or destruction of the affected object or area. For example, a town ravaged by a hurricane means that the hurricane caused extensive and catastrophic damage to the buildings, infrastructure, and livelihoods of its inhabitants.
Furthermore, ravage can also be employed to describe the detrimental impact of time, disease, or decay on a person, object, or natural habitat. It suggests the progressive and relentless deterioration and erosion of something once vibrant or intact. For instance, a disease ravaging a community indicates that the illness is spreading rapidly, causing severe harm and potentially leading to long-lasting consequences.
Overall, ravage denotes the severe destruction, devastation, or ruin caused by physical or metaphorical forces, highlighting the profound and often irreversible damage inflicted on something or someone.
• Destruction by violence or by decay; spoil; ruin; waste.
• To lay waste; to pillage; to destroy.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "ravage" originated from the Latin word "ravagium", which comes from the verb "ravare" meaning "to seize" or "to carry away by force". This Latin verb also gives rise to other related words like "ravage", "ravish", and "ravenous". In English, "ravage" first appeared in the late 14th century and referred to the act of violent plundering or destruction. Over time, the word has retained its connotation of severe damage or devastation caused by pillaging or violent acts.