destroy, exterminate, extinguish
这3个动词均有“消灭”之意。
destroy : 指通过杀戮或终止某人某物的机能,使之无用或毁灭。
It seems he's destroying himself.(他似乎正在毁灭自己。)
exterminate : 指大量地、成批地杀害、消灭。
Some people exterminate garden insects by spraying poison on the plants。(有些人在植物上喷撒毒剂以杀死花园内的昆虫。)
extinguish : 原义指灭火,转义后暗示生命、希望等像火一样地消灭、熄灭。
His discovery extinguished the achievements of his colleague.(他的发现使他同事的成就黯然失色。)