SELF-DESTRUCT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does self-destruct mean? 

• SELF-DESTRUCT (verb)
  The verb SELF-DESTRUCT has 1 sense:

1. do away with oneself or itself

  Familiarity information: SELF-DESTRUCT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SELF-DESTRUCT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they self-destruct    ... he / she / it self-destructs   
Past simple: self-destructed   
Past participle: self-destructed   
-ing form: self-destructing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Do away with oneself or itself

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

self-destroy; self-destruct

Context example:

The machine will self-destruct if you tamper with it

Hypernyms (to "self-destruct" is one way to...):

destroy; destruct (do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

self-destruction (the act of killing yourself)

self-destruction (the act of destroying yourself)

 Context examples 

When exposed to neutron irradiation, boronophenylalanine absorbs neutrons and self-destructs releasing short-range alpha radiation and 'recoil' lithium in tumor cells, resulting in alpha radiation-induced tumor cell death.

(Boronophenylalanine-fructose complex, NCI Thesaurus)

At the same time, more dopamine-containing neurons also began to show signs of apoptosis, the cells’ “self-destruct” mechanism.

(Scientists find a role for Parkinson’s gene in the brain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)