havoc
Other forms: havocs
Havoc is a noun that means devastation or total mayhem. Havoc is often wreaked by hurricanes, angry mobs, plundering Vikings, and wild parties that get out of control.
If we trace havoc way back, we arrive at a crossroads. Some people believe that the word comes from the Old French havot, meaning “plundering, devastation,” while others argue that it was passed down to us from the Latin habere, meaning “to have, possess.” Either way you look at it, the meaning remains the same: widespread disorder or destruction.
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violent and needless disturbancesynonyms: mayhemtype of:disturbancethe act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion
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Vocabulary lists containing havoc
In this epic poem, clever Odysseus attempts to find his way home after the end of the Trojan War. Learn these words from the translation by Robert Fitzgerald. Here are links to our lists for the book: Books 1–7, Books 8–13, Books 14–18, Books 19–24
Learn these essential words that you'll encounter in literature, textbooks, class discussions, and more.
The American National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, is sung at assemblies, before sporting events, and it has even been sung before all the presidential debates this year. The words were written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key during the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the war of 1812. Key's words embody a spirit of perseverance that has become essentially linked to the idea of American character and identity. Here are fifteen vocabulary from the entire Star-Spangled Banner, including words from the little-known three additional verses.