damage a car so badly in an accident that it cannot be repaired: It was a terrible accident. Both cars were totaled
totaling - totaled - have totaled
causing a lot of damage
destructive /di'strAktiv/ [adj] something or someone that is destructive causes a lot of damage: a wasteful and destructive war I Small children can be very destructive. I the destructive effects of mass tourism
devastating /'devasteitii}/ [adj] causing very serious damage to all the buildings, trees, crops etc in an area: The palace was rebuilt in 1832 after a devastating fire. Have a devastating effect on The oil spill had a devastating effect on sea birds and other wildlife.
a place or thing that has been destroyed
wreckage /rekids/ [n U] the broken parts
of a car, plane etc that has crashed: Wreckage from the plane was scattered over a large area. I Passengers were trapped in the burning wreckage.
ruins /'rui^nz/ [n plural] the parts of a building or town that remain after it has been destroyed
+ of We visited the ruins of an ancient temple. 1 the ruins of a bombed-out office block
wreck /гек/ [n C] a ship that has been sunk, or a car that has been badly damaged in a crash: Diuers went down to search the wreck. I The car was a complete wreck, but the driver escaped with minor injuries.
write-off f rait offl-Dif/ [n CI British a car that has been so badly damaged that it cannot be used again: The car was a complete write-off ~ I was lucky I wasn't killed.
be gradually destroyed by a natural process
rot/decay /rot, di'kei|raa/ (u I] to be gradually destroyed by natural chemical changes - use this about dead plants or flesh, or
190
about fruit or wood: Peaches that had fallen from the trees were rotting on the ground. I the disgusting smell of rotting meat 1 Decaying vegetation blocked the stream.
rot - rotting - have rotted
A Decay is a more technical word than rot
rust /rASt/ [и I] if metal rusts, it becomes red-brown in colour because it has been damaged by the effects of water: Your bike will rust if you leave it out in the rain.
DETAIL
see also information, describe
a specific piece of information
№teil|drteil/ in С often plural! a single fact or piece of information about
something: The story's very complicated - I can't remember all the exact details. + of The student advice office provides details of all the university courses in the country. I Baker advises the President on the details of foreign policy, personal details (information about someone, such as their age, their address, whether they are married etc) To apply for a loan, first fill in the section marked 'Personal Details'.
point /point/ [n C] a detail that you need to talk about when you are discussing a plan, statement, or written agreement: There's one point in your letter that is not quite clear.
smalt/minor point (=one that is not very important) We only have a few small points left to discuss.
Qthing /011]/ [n C] spoken a detail in something such as a plan, statement, or written agreement: There's one thing I'm not clear about, and that's how we are going to get to the airport. 1 I need to change a few things before I give the speech.
the small print/дэ .smoil print/ [n singular] the specific details in an agreement or
document, which may be very important but which people do not always notice: Be sure to read the small print before you
sign anything.
Q a specific feature of
something you see
detail /'di:teil|di'teil [n C/U] one of many specific leatures that you can see in something such as a picture, a building, or something that someone has made: Look at all the tiny details in the background of the picture. \ The cathedral has a carved ceiling which is full of interesting detail.
Ej with a lot of details
detailed di:te[ldl|di teild [adj] a detailed
description, explanation, picture etc contains a lot of details: The police have
issued a detailed description of the man they are looking for. I Do you have a more detailed map of the area?
in detail /m 'dirterl^di'teil/ if you talk
about or consider something in detail, you pay attention to all the details: / haven't had time to look at the plans in detail yet. I This problem is discussed in more detail in Chapter 7. in great detail (including a lot of detail) Fortunately, she was able to describe her attacker in great detail.
ш not containing many details
general 'djen^rsl/ [adj only before noun) a general description or explanation of something contains the most basic information but does not include all the details:
The course is called A General Introduction to Computing', a general idea (=basic knowledge) This guidebook will give you a good general idea of the city.
rough /nvf/ [adj only before nounl rough description/plan/outline etc a description. plan etc that is not exact or complete. but has enough information to help you understand it: We've drawn up a rough p/an but we haven't worked out all the costs.
a rough idea (=a basic explanation or understanding) Give us a rough idea of what you're trying to do.
vague /veig/ [adj] something that is vague is not clear because it does not provide enough details: Dave's instructions were rather vague. 1 I had heard vague rumours that they were getting married.
not go into detail /not дэо into di:teil|[
-di'teil/ if you do not go into detail when you are telling someone about something, you only give them the basic facts without any details: It was only a quick explanation - he didn't really go into detail.
DETERMINED
when you have definitely decided to do something, and you will not let anything stop you
^ see also describing people
ftl determined to do something
determined drt^m^nd [adj] if you are determined to do something, you have decided that you are definitely going to do it, and you will not let anything stop you: There's no point trying to stop her - it'll only make her more determined, determined to do sth / iuas determined to be a professional dancer, and practised for hours every day. + (that) She was determined that her children should have the best possible
education.
be set on Sth bi: 'set on (sth)' to be determined to do something, especially something important that will affect your whole life, even if other people think you should not do it
be set on (doing) sth Nina seems to be
set on marrying him. be dead set on sth {^extremely determined to do something) Bob's always been dead set on a career in advertising.
E4 someone who has a determined character
determined /d['t3:rmj,nd [adjl someone who is determined works very hard to achieve what they want to achieve, and will not let problems stop them: Not many women went to university in those days,
DETERMINED 1
but Dorothy was a very determined woman