• IPA: /ˈhæv.ək/

havoc (uncountable)

1. widespread devastation, destruction
   • 1713, Joseph Addison, Cato, published 1712, [Act 1, scene 1]:

     Ye gods, what havoc does ambition make / Among your works!

2. mayhem

• French: chaos, dévastation, bazar
• German: Zerstörung
• Italian: rovina, distruzione, strage
• Portuguese: destruição, devastação, ruína
• Russian: опустоше́ние
• Spanish: estrago

• French: chaos
• Russian: беспоря́док

havoc (havocs, present participle havocking; past and past participle havocked)

1. To pillage.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene II:

     To tear and havoc more than she can eat.

2. To cause havoc.

1. A cry in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter.

   • Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt / With modest warrant.

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Ivlivs Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

     Cry "havoc", and let slip the dogs of war!