different between detriment vs havoc

English

Etymology

From Old French detriement, from Latin detrimentum (“loss, damage, literally a rubbing off”), from deterere (“to rub off, wear”), from de- (“down, away”) + terere (“to rub”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?t??m?nt/

Noun

detriment (countable and uncountable, plural detriments)

1. Harm, hurt, damage.
2. (Britain, obsolete) A charge made to students and barristers for incidental repairs of the rooms they occupy.

Usage notes

• Often used in the form "to someone's detriment".

Synonyms

• harm
• hurt
• illfare
• damage
• expense

Antonyms

• benefit

Derived terms

• detrimental

Translations

Verb

detriment (third-person singular simple present detriments, present participle detrimenting, simple past and past participle detrimented)

1. (transitive, chiefly obsolete) To be detrimental to; to harm or mar.

Further reading

• detriment in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• detriment in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Romanian

Etymology

From French détriment, from Latin detrimentum.

Noun

detriment n (uncountable)

1. detriment

Declension

English

Alternative forms

• havock (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?hæv.?k/

Noun

havoc (usually uncountable, plural havocs)

1. widespread devastation, destruction

   • Ye gods, what havoc does ambition make / Among your works!
2. mayhem

Usage notes

The noun havoc is most often used in the set phrase wreak havoc.

Derived terms

• play havoc, raise havoc, wreak havoc, cry havoc, break havoc

Translations

Verb

havoc (third-person singular simple present havocs, present participle havocking, simple past and past participle havocked)

1. To pillage.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene II:

     To tear and havoc more than she can eat.

2. To cause havoc.

Usage notes

As with other verbs ending in vowel + -c, the gerund-participle is sometimes spelled havocing, and the preterite and past participle is sometimes spelled havoced; for citations using these spellings, see their respective entries. However, the spellings havocking and havocked are far more common. Compare panic, picnic.

Translations

Interjection

havoc

1. A cry in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter.

   • Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt / With modest warrant.

References