1. cause (a large amount of damage or harm): "torrential rainstorms wreaked havoc yesterday"
▪ inflict (vengeance): "they would soon have a chance to wreak their revenge on the enemy"
▪ avenge (someone who has been wronged):"grant me some knight to wreak me for my son"
Word OriginOld Englishwrecan ‘drive (out), avenge’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wreken and German rächen; compare with wrack4, wreck, and wretch.