shatter
[ shat-er ]
/ ˈʃæt ər /
verb (used with object)
to break (something) into pieces, as by a blow.
to damage, as by breaking or crushing: ships shattered by storms.
to impair or destroy (health, nerves, etc.): The incident shattered his composure.
to weaken, destroy, or refute (ideas, opinions, etc.): He wanted to shatter her illusions.
verb (used without object)
to be broken into fragments or become weak or insubstantial.
noun
Usually shatters. fragments made by shattering.
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Origin of shatter
1300–50; Middle English schateren < ?; cf. scatter
synonym study for shatter
1. See break.
OTHER WORDS FROM shatter
Words nearby shatter
shastra, shastracara, shastri, shat, shatt-al-arab, shatter, shatter cone, shattered, shatterproof, shaun, shavano peak
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for shattered
British Dictionary definitions for shattered (1 of 2)
shattered
/ (ˈʃætɪd) /
adjective
broken into many small pieces
impaired or destroyed
dumbfounded or thoroughly upset
informal tired out or exhausted
British Dictionary definitions for shattered (2 of 2)
shatter
/ (ˈʃætə) /
verb
to break or be broken into many small pieces
(tr) to impair or destroyhis nerves were shattered by the torture
(tr) to dumbfound or thoroughly upsetshe was shattered by the news
(tr) informal to cause to be tired out or exhausted
an obsolete word for scatter
noun
(usually plural) obsolete, or dialect a fragment
Derived forms of shatter
shatterer, nounshattering, adjectiveshatteringly, adverbWord Origin for shatter
C12: perhaps obscurely related to scatter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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