Adjacent Words

Efface definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EFFA'CE, v.t. [L. ex and facio or facies.]
1. To destroy a figure on the surface of any thing, whether painted or carved, so as to render it invisible or not distinguishable; as, to efface the letters on a monument.
2. To blot out; to erase, strike or scratch out, so as to destroy or render illegible; as, to efface a writing; to efface a name.
3. To destroy any impression on the mind; to wear away; as, to efface the image of a person in the mind; to efface ideas or thoughts; to efface gratitude.
To deface is to injure or impair a figure; to effect is to rub out or destroy, so as to render invisible.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: remove completely from recognition or memory; "efface the memory of the time in the camps" [syn: obliterate, efface]
2: make inconspicuous; "efface oneself"
3: remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing; "Please erase the formula on the blackboard--it is wrong!" [syn: erase, rub out, score out, efface, wipe off]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (effaced; effacing) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French esfacer, effacer, from e- + face face Date: 15th century 1. to eliminate or make indistinct by or as if by wearing away a surface <coins with dates effaced by wear>; also to cause to vanish <daylight effaced the stars> 2. to make (oneself) modestly or shyly inconspicuous • effaceable adjective • effacement noun • effacer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. rub or wipe out (a mark etc.). 2 tr. (in abstract senses) obliterate; wipe out (effaced it from his memory). 3 tr. utterly surpass; eclipse (success has effaced all previous attempts). 4 refl. treat or regard oneself as unimportant (self-effacing). Derivatives: effacement n. Etymology: F effacer (as EX-(1), FACE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Efface Ef*face", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Effaced; p. pr. & vb. n. Effacing.] [F. effacer; pref. es- (L. ex) + face face; prop., to destroy the face or form. See Face, and cf. Deface.] 1. To cause to disappear (as anything impresses or inscribed upon a surface) by rubbing out, striking out, etc.; to erase; to render illegible or indiscernible; as, to efface the letters on a monument, or the inscription on a coin. 2. To destroy, as a mental impression; to wear away. Efface from his mind the theories and notions vulgarly received. --Bacon. Syn: To blot out; expunge; erase; obliterate; cancel; destroy. -- Efface, Deface. To deface is to injure or impair a figure; to efface is to rub out or destroy, so as to render invisible.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(effaces, effacing, effaced) To efface something means to destroy or remove it so that it cannot be seen any more. (FORMAL) ...an event that has helped efface the country's traditional image... VERB: V n see also self-effacing

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Obliterate, erase, expunge, blot, cancel, rub out, wipe out, scratch out, rub off, blot out, strike out.

Moby Thesaurus

annul, black out, blot, blot out, cancel, cross out, dele, delete, eliminate, eradicate, erase, exclude, expunge, extirpate, obliterate, raze, rub out, rule out, scratch, scratch out, sponge, sponge out, strike out, wipe out