pulverate
/ˈpʌlvəreɪt/Now rare
verb
[with object] To reduce to powder; to pulverize. In later use chiefly figurative ( US informal ): to defeat soundly, to demolish; to thrash.
Origin
Early 17th century; earliest use found in George Sandys (1578–1644), writer and traveller. From classical Latin pulverāt-, past participial stem of pulverāre pulver.