①damage指部分"损坏"、"损害"、"破坏"或指使用价值有所降低。它可以用作动词,也可以用作名词,用作名词时常与to something 连用。例如:
Hundreds of houses in the area were damaged by the storm. 暴风雨毁坏了这个地区数以百计的房屋。
The accident did a lot of damage to his car. 这次车祸使他的车受到很大的损坏。
②destroy 只能用作动词,指彻底破坏,以致不可能修复,常作"破坏"、"毁灭"解,也可以指希望、计划等打破。例如:
The earthquake destroyed almost the whole town. 地震几乎毁灭了整个城镇。
His hope of being a writer was destroyed. 他想成为一个作家的希望破灭了。
③ruin则表示破坏严重,以致不能修复,但这种破坏不像destroy那样毁灭某物,而是强调致使该物的使用价值发生了问题。用作动词时,它作"使毁灭"、"使崩溃"、"弄糟"解;用作名词时,它表示"毁灭"、"瓦解"、"废墟"等抽象概念。ruin也有借喻的用法。例如:
The fire ruined the castle. 那场大火使城堡夷为废墟。
The house has fallen into ruin. 房子倒塌了。
The company is facing ruin. 这家公司面临破产。