scempio

havoc

noun SHEM-pyoh Rare

Also means

slaughter

Usage Note

Scempio conveys devastating destruction or carnage, often used figuratively: fare scempio di qualcosa means 'to make a mess of' or 'to destroy' something. It can refer to both physical devastation and the ruin of something valued, such as culture or the landscape.

Examples

"L'alluvione ha fatto scempio del raccolto."

Natural Translation

The flood wreaked havoc on the harvest.

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