razed

Verb

raze (third-person singular simple present razes, present participle razing, simple past and past participle razed)

1. (transitive) To level or tear down (a building, a town, etc.) to the ground; to demolish.
   • The fortreſſe was raſed and beaten downe to the erthe⸝ whiche had coſt moche the makynge therof: […]1523 February 7 (Gregorian calendar), Johan Froyssart [i.e., Jean Froissart], “Howe the Frẽche Kyng Sent a Great Nauy to the See⸝ ⁊ howe Duyers Townes were Brent in Englande: ⁊ howe the Duke of...
2. (figuratively, transitive) To completely remove (someone or something), especially from a place, a situation, etc.; also, to remove from existence; to destroy, to obliterate.
   • Yet at the laſt, caſting with my ſelf, that yͤ heat of thy loue might cleane be razed with yͤ coldnes of my letter, I thought it good to commit an inconuenience, that I might preuent a miſchiefe, chuſing rather to cut thée off ſhort by rigour, then to giue thée any iot of hope by ſilence.1580, Iohn Lyly [i.e., John Lyly], “To Philautus”, in Euphues and His England. […], London: […] [Thomas East] for Gabriell Cawood, […], →OCLC, folio 71, recto

   Synonyms:

   destroy, annihilate, aerosolize, atomize, benothing, bewreck, blot out, blotto, dash, decompose

3. (also, figuratively, transitive) To erase (a record, text, etc.), originally by scraping; to rub out, to scratch out.
   • Suppleyng to Fame, I besought her grace, / And that it wolde please her, full tenderly I prayd, / Owt of her bokis Apollo to rase.1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd...
4. (regional, transitive, archaic except UK) To wound (someone or part of their body) superficially; to graze.
   • [T]he ſvvorde more mercifull then hee to himſelfe, vvith the ſlipping of the pommel, the point ſvvarued, and razed him but vpon the ſide: […]a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “[The Thirde Booke] Chapter 24”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia]...
5. (obsolete, transitive) To alter (a document) by erasing parts of it.
   • This indenture is raced all the worlde may ſe it: Ceſte indenture eſt faulcée tout le monde le peult veoyr.1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan...
6. (obsolete, transitive) To carve (a line, mark, etc.) into something; to incise, to inscribe; also, to carve lines, marks, etc., into (something); to engrave.
   • Generally, Barbarous People, that goe Naked, doe not onely paint Themſelues, but they povvnce and raze their Skinne, that the Painting may not be taken forth; And make it into VVorks.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “VIII. Century. [Experiment Solitary, Touching Paintings of the Body.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […]...

See all 17 meanings of raze