raze
or rase
[ reyz ]
/ reɪz /
verb (used with object), razed, raz·ing.
to tear down; demolish; level to the ground: to raze a row of old buildings.
to shave or scrape off.
Nearby words
Origin of raze
1540–50; Middle English rasen < Middle French raser < *Vulgar Latin rāsāre to scrape, frequentative of Latin rādere to scrape
Related formsraz·er, nounun·razed, adjective
Can be confusedraze raise
Synonym study
1. See destroy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for raze
British Dictionary definitions for raze
raze
rase
/ (reɪz) /
verb (tr)
to demolish (a town, buildings, etc) completely; level (esp in the phrase raze to the ground)
to delete; erase
archaic to graze
Derived Formsrazer or raser, noun
Word Origin for raze
C16: from Old French raser from Latin rādere to scrape
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for raze
raze
1540s, alteration of racen "pull or knock down" (a building or town), from earlier rasen (14c.) "to scratch, slash, scrape, erase," from Old French raser "to scrape, shave" (see rase). Related: Razed; razing.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper