Building and Destroying

Bruschettis GiftedBuilding and DestroyingdeleteriousHaving a harmful effect; injurious.

despoilTo deprive of possessions or property by force; plunder; rob. The army of Alexander the Great despoiled the ancient city of Tyre.

effectualProducing or sufficient to produce a desired result; fully adequate.

jettisonTrans. VerbTo discard as unwanted or burdensome. To cast off or overboard. (From the Latin word jacere, meaning to throw)After listening to her staffs objections, the manager jettisoned the marketing plan.

obviateTo prevent by anticipating; make unnecessary. By careful planning, the operators of the new business obviated many of the difficulties often encountered by young entrepreneurs.

pinnacleThe highest point; summit; acme. The pinnacle of achievement for many dramatic actors is to perform the role of Hamlet.

razeTrans. Verb.To tear down or demolish; level to the ground. From the Latin word rader, meaning to scrape)

stultifyTrans. Verb. To render useless or inadequate; cripple. To cause to appear stupid, inconsistent, or ridiculous.Forcing a reluctant piano student to practice may stultify a natural interest in music.

surmountTrans. Verb.To overcome (an obstacle, for example); conquer. To ascend to the top of; climb.In his poem Invictus, William Ernest Henley wrote of his determination to surmount all difficulties.

wrestTrans. Verb. To obtain by or as by pulling with violent twisting movements. To usurp forcefully; to wrest power. To extract by force, guile, or persistent effort; wring: to wrest the meaning from an obscure poem.