Lewis & Short

dē-strŭo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to pull or tear down any thing built (opp. construo— for syn. cf.: demolior, diruo).

  1. I. Prop. (rare but class.): navem, aedificium idem destruit facillime, qui construxit, Cic. de Sen. 20, 72; so, templum prope funditus, Suet. Vesp. 9: moenia, Verg. A. 4, 326: aras, Vulg. Exod. 34, 13 et saep.
    1. B. Poet. transf.: crinemque manumque, i. e., to strip off crown and sceptre, Stat. Th. 12, 93.
  2. II. Trop., to destroy, ruin, weaken (perh. not ante-Aug.): destruere ac demoliri aliquid, Liv. 34, 3: tyrannidem, Quint. 1, 10, 48: orationem (opp. illustrare), id. 11, 1, 2; cf. finitionem (opp. confirmare), id. 7, 3, 19: singulos testes (opp. exornare), id. 5, 7, 25 sq.: hostem, Tac. A. 2, 63: senem, id. H. 1, 6: multa vetustas, Ov. F. 5, 132; cf. id. M. 15, 235: dicta vultu, id. A. A. 2, 312: legem, Vulg. Rom. 3, 31.