pulverize

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
pulverize /ˈpʌlvərʌɪz/ (or pulverise)

▶verb

• 1 reduce to fine particles.

• 2 informal defeat utterly.

– derivatives
pulverization noun,
pulverizer noun.

– origin ME: from late L. pulverizare, from pulvis, pulver- ‘dust’.