lay (something) to waste

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lay (something) to waste

To destroy or ruin something completely or utterly. The fire laid an entire block of houses to waste in a matter of hours. The plundering army assembled and made ready to lay the kingdom to waste.
See also: lay, waste
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

lay something to waste

 and lay waste to something
Fig. to destroy something; to ruin or mess up something. The invaders laid the village to waste. The kids came in and laid waste to my clean house.
See also: lay, waste
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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