sabotage
UK: ˈsæb.ə.tɑːʒ | US: ˈsæb.ə.tɑːʒ
n. deliberate destruction or disruption, especially for political or military advantage
vt. to deliberately destroy or damage something to hinder an opponent
The word "sabotage" originates from French, where "sabot" referred to a wooden shoe worn by peasants. During the Industrial Revolution, disgruntled workers allegedly threw their wooden shoes ("sabots") into machinery to disrupt production, symbolizing resistance. Over time, "sabotage" evolved to mean any intentional act of undermining or destruction. The morpheme "age" denotes the action or result, forming a noun from the root "sabot."
The spy was accused of sabotage after the factory's machinery mysteriously failed.
Protesters threatened to sabotage the pipeline construction.
Hackers attempted to sabotage the company's database.
The team suspected internal sabotage when their plans were leaked.
Environmental activists condemned acts of sabotage against the oil rig.