Adjacent Words

Raze definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RAZE, n. A root. [See Race-ginger, under Race.]
RAZE, v.t. [L. rasus, rado. See Rase and Erase.]
1. To subvert from the foundation; to overthrow; to destroy; to demolish; as, to raze a city to the ground.
The royal hand that raz'd unhappy Troy.
2. To erase; to efface; to obliterate.
Razing the characters of your renown.
[In this sense, rase and erase are now used.]
3. To extirpate.
And raze their factions and their family.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: tear down so as to make flat with the ground; "The building was levelled" [syn: level, raze, rase, dismantle, tear down, take down, pull down] [ant: erect, put up, raise, rear, set up]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (razed; razing) Etymology: alteration of rase Date: 1536 1. a. archaic erase b. to scrape, cut, or shave off 2. to destroy to the ground ; demolish <raze an old building> • razer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (also rase) 1 completely destroy; tear down (esp. raze to the ground). 2 erase; scratch out (esp. in abstract senses). Etymology: ME rase = wound slightly f. OF raser shave close ult. f. L radere ras- scrape

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Raze Raze, n. [See Rack.] A Shakespearean word (used once) supposed to mean the same as race, a root.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Raze Raze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Razed; p. pr. & vb. n. Razing.] [F. raser. See Rase, v. t.] [Written also rase.] 1. To erase; to efface; to obliterate. Razing the characters of your renown. --Shak. 2. To subvert from the foundation; to lay level with the ground; to destroy; to demolish. The royal hand that razed unhappy Troy. --Dryden. Syn: To demolish; level; prostrate; overthrow; subvert; destroy; ruin. See Demolish.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(razes, razing, razed) If buildings, villages or towns are razed or razed to the ground, they are completely destroyed. Dozens of villages have been razed... Towns such as Mittelwihr and Bennwihr were virtually razed to the ground. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed, be V-ed to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. Root (as of ginger). See race. II. v. a. 1. Overthrow, demolish, subvert, destroy, ruin, level. 2. Erase, efface, obliterate, rase. 3. Extirpate, destroy. 4. Graze, rase.

Moby Thesaurus

ablate, abrade, abrase, align, bark, beat down, blot, blot out, blow down, blow over, bowl down, bowl over, break down, bring down, bulldog, bulldoze, burn down, cancel, cast down, chafe, chop down, cross out, cut down, dash down, decimate, deck, dele, delete, demolish, destroy, down, drop, efface, equalize, erase, erode, even, expunge, fell, fetch down, file, flatten, floor, flush, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, gnaw, gnaw away, grade, grate, graze, grind, ground, hew down, knock down, knock over, lay, lay down, lay flat, lay level, lay low, lay out, level, mow down, obliterate, precipitate, prostrate, pull down, rase, rasp, roll, roll flat, rub away, rub off, rub out, ruin, rule out, scour, scrape, scratch, scratch out, scrub, scuff, send headlong, skin, smash, smooth, smooth out, smoothen, sponge, sponge out, spread-eagle, steamroll, steamroller, strike out, supinate, take down, tear down, throw, throw down, topple, trip, tumble, unbuild, undo, unmake, wear, wear away, whack down, wipe out, wrack, wreck