Obs. [In sense 1, ? short for stroy-all or -good: see STROY v. b. In sense 2, aphetic f. DESTROY sb.]
1. One who destroys; a wasteful person. dial.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 480/2. Stroy [v.r. stroye], or dystroyare, destructor, dissipator.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Stry, Stry-good, s., a wasteful person; a bad manager or economist.
2. Destruction. To make stroy of, to make spoil of, pillage.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War (1905), 386. Nor did they partake or make stroy of any of the Necessaries of Mansoul, but that which they seised on against the Townsmens will.
1688. Ld. Delamere, Adv. to Childr., Wks. (1694), 25. To have your meat well drest does well, for there is not much difference betwixt a wilful stroy, and to have a great deal of meat spoiled in the dressing.
