Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Wreak or wreck?

Wreak or wreck: Wreak: verb – expel, drive away;express a feeling, especially anger; punish, injure or harm someone; avenge someone;vindicate a cause by an act of retribution; take or inflict vengeance on orupon someone; cause harm, damage, etc., frequently in 'wreak havoc'; deal ablow. (Wreak is often followed by 'on' or 'upon')
Wreck: verb - washashore; reduce a structure, vehicle, etc. to a ruined or shattered condition byforce or violence; destroy; cause the wreck of a vessel; bring someone todisaster or ruin; cause the ruin or destruction of a system, etc.; severelyupset or impair someone's health, nerves, etc.; frustrate, thwart; prevent thepassing of a measure; suffer a shipwreck.
These words have no sharedetymological origin but often appear to be confused. You can 'wreak havoc' by'wrecking' something, but they are not the same thing.
'Influenced by the cultureof his tribe, Mohammed swore to wreak vengeance on his brother for daring to speaksoftly to the woman he had decided to wed.'
'George, if you don't stoppounding your sister's doll with your hammer, you're going to wreck it.'
Pic: Venetian fortress on Crete.
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