tear down

démolir, abattre

Détruire entièrement un bâtiment ou une autre construction.

En anglais simple : To destroy a building or other structure completely.

• They tore down the old house.
• We need to tear this wall down.
• Will they tear down the factory to build flats?

Comment l'utiliser : tear down something (They plan to tear down the old factory.); tear something down (The workers tore the garage down.)

Synonymes : demolish, knock down, pull down

Contraires : build

Expressions courantes : tear down a building, tear down a wall

dénigrer, rabaisser

Critiquer durement quelqu’un au point de nuire à sa confiance en soi ou à sa réputation.

En anglais simple : To criticize someone harshly, damaging their confidence or reputation.

• Stop tearing me down.
• His boss tore him down in front of everyone.
• The campaign tried to tear down her reputation.

Comment l'utiliser : tear someone down (Her constant insults tore him down.); tear down someone (The article tried to tear down her political rivals.)

Synonymes : belittle, discredit, put down

Contraires : praise

Expressions courantes : tear down someone, tear down your rivals

démonter

Séparer les pièces d’une machine ou d’un appareil pour les examiner ou les réparer.

En anglais simple : To take a machine or device apart to examine or repair its parts.

• We tore down the engine.
• The technician will tear the device down to find the fault.
• Have you ever torn down a laptop?

Comment l'utiliser : tear down something (The mechanic tore down the engine to inspect it.); tear something down (We tore the motor down and replaced the bearings.)

Synonymes : disassemble, take apart, strip down

Contraires : assemble

Expressions courantes : tear down an engine, tear down a device

dévaler, filer à toute vitesse

Se déplacer très vite le long d’une route, d’un couloir ou d’un autre passage.

En anglais simple : To move very fast along a road, passage, or other route.

• He tore down the road.
• The children came tearing down the corridor.
• A cyclist tore down the hill without braking.

Comment l'utiliser : tear down something (A motorcycle tore down the street.)

Synonymes : race down, speed down, rush down

Expressions courantes : tear down the road, tear down the street