Ødelegge

Ødelegge is a Norwegian verb meaning to destroy or damage something, either physically or figuratively. It is a transitive verb and requires a direct object, as in “å ødelegge noe.” The term can refer to breaking or ruining a physical item, such as property or equipment, as well as to spoiling plans, performances, or situations.

Conjugation and forms commonly used in Bokmål include: infinitive å ødelegge; present tense ødelegger; past tense ødela; past participle ødelagt. In compound tenses the auxiliary har is used, for example har ødelagt. The imperative form is ødelegge. The verb is typically employed in everyday language to express substantial damage or ruin, often with strong or negative connotations.

Etymology traces ødelegge to Old Norse eyðileggja, meaning to ruin or lay waste. It is cognate with Danish ødelægge and related forms in other Norse languages. The sense has remained consistent across the Scandinavian languages: to render something unusable, unacceptable, or beyond repair.

Usage notes and examples: ødelegge can describe literal destruction of objects (for example, a storm ødela bilen) as well as the spoilage of nonphysical things, such as plans, opportunities, or reputations (e.g., å ødelegge et forhold, å ødelegge en fest). In figurative use, it often conveys significant negative impact rather than minor damage.

See also: skade, ødelegge seg, ødeleggende.