Used when something is destroyed so thoroughly that nothing of value remains. The volcanic eruption laid the ancient city waste, leaving only ashes.
Pro Tip 2/3
Intense Impact
Implies an event had a powerful, destructive impact on a large scale, like natural disasters or war. The hurricane laid the coastal towns waste in a matter of hours.
Pro Tip 3/3
Hyperbolic Expression
Sometimes used to exaggerate the level of destruction for dramatic effect. The soccer team's defeat was so severe, it was as if they laid their own field waste.