matchwood

[ mach-woo d ]

/ ˈmætʃˌwʊd /

wood suitable for match.

Origin of matchwood

First recorded in 1590–1600; match¹ + wood¹

Only one of the shells did any damage and it smashed a limbered wagon to matchwood.

The Incomparable 29th and the "River Clyde" |George Davidson
In two seconds the men had cut her away, but not before she had nearly banged herself to matchwood against our side.

Le Petit Nord |Anne Elizabeth Caldwell (MacClanahan) Grenfell and Katie Spalding
We are safe enough; we are artillery and plate-armour: and she stands up to us with matchwood and a snail!

Alarms and Discursions |G. K. Chesterton
MacDonald had camped before in the basin, and there were tepee poles ready cut, as light and dry as matchwood.

The Hunted Woman |James Oliver Curwood

There was wild excitement amongst the brigade men, for they saw that she must be smashed into matchwood in five minutes.

The Romance of the Coast |James Runciman

matchwood

/ (ˈmætʃˌwʊd) /

wood suitable for making matches

splinters or fragments the bomb blew the house to matchwood