荒らす

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 荒らす is read あらす and is a transitive verb for damaging or severely disturbing a place or thing.
• Basic usage: It describes actions that ruin an original state, such as damaging a field or ransacking a room.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Marking the object
  • The thing being damaged or disturbed is marked with を. Distinguish this from merely saying that something became untidy.