shatter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To break suddenly into many small pieces.

   The wine glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

2. 2
   verb

   To cause something to break into many small pieces.

   The explosion shattered every window in the building.

3. 3
   verb

   To destroy or badly damage something such as hopes, plans, or peace.

   The news of his death shattered the whole family.

From Middle English schateren (“to scatter, dash”), an assibilated form of Middle English scateren ("to scatter"; see scatter), from Old English scaterian, from Proto-Germanic *skat- (“to smash, scatter”), perhaps ultimately imitative. Cognate with Dutch schateren (“to burst out laughing”), Low German schateren, Albanian shkatërroj (“to destroy, devastate”). Doublet of scatter.

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