play havoc

play havoc

Also, raise or wreak havoc . Disrupt, damage, or destroy something, as in The wind played havoc with her hair, or The fire alarm raised havoc with the children, or The earthquake wrought havoc in the town. The noun havoc was once used as a command for invaders to begin looting and killing, but by the 1800s the term was being used for somewhat less aggressive activities. For a synonym, see play the devil with.
See also: havoc, play
References in periodicals archive ?
Doctor Who star Samuel Anderson, below, has told how dressing in a Cyberman costume can play havoc with bodily functions - and left him bursting for the toilet.
IN THE NEWS
QUINTON DE KOCK scored his third successive century and AB de Villiers top-scored with 109 only for rain to play havoc with the third one-day inter national between South Africa and India, which was eventually abandoned at Centurion.
Kock of the South! S AFRICA V INDIA
The turning pitches of Dhaka, Colombo, Lahore and Dubai would play havoc with the psyche of the Australian batsmen," he added.
Dean Jones says India would struggle more than Oz in away from 'home' conditions
WITH many teams still trying hard to catch up with their backlog of games, the number of surprise results continues to play havoc with teams' prospects of winning league titles.
Backlog is biting
Assuming the weather does not play havoc, punters can expect a close, attacking game and the value bet may be 9-10 that both teams score with Bet365.
Attacks may dominate; FAI CUP FINAL RTE 2, 3pm
Too much food or alcohol just before bedtime can play havoc with sleep patterns.
Family Life: Three ways to... Health and fitness ...get a good night's sleep
These high temperatures can play havoc with older versions of the modern burner unit (MBU) or MBUs that haven't been upgraded by MWO 7310-281-55-1.
If you can't take the heat ..
Light and air are natural incubators for mold and they play havoc with climate control.
Lilker performs a medical miracle at Long Island I-Park
Broad laughs don't only drown out wry grins, they play havoc with characterisation.
BUSHELL ON THE BOX: MEMO to Corrie
IT MUST play havoc with the house prices when your neighbourhood is famous for mob killings.
Arts: Boonton, New Jersey
Many ice-hockey teams play on outdoor rinks, but a rule that games can't start if it is colder than minus 15 can play havoc with the schedule.
Have game, will travel: high-school sports teams in Alaska go by land, sea, and air to play ball
I couldn't allow the whole community to be over-assessed; it was going to play havoc with property values.
Taxation system unfair, group claims: part two of a three-part series examining the issue of property taxation
The company has digested more than a dozen acquisitions in less than five years, something that can play havoc with a retailer's distribution, yet Pao de Acucar has managed to avoid such chaos.
The handoff: growing by leaps and bounds, family-owned Brazilian retailer Pao de Acucar looks to an outsider for guidance
A 10-hour flight compounded by an eight-hour time difference can play havoc with the constitution of a traveler who jets from Los Angeles to London.
BRITISH AIRWAYS' CLUB WORLD SEATS BUILT FOR SLUMBER
His findings may have implications for other people whose irregular work schedules play havoc with their sleep cycles, says Cho.
Forget about jet lag, and much more
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