raze
/reiz/ Cách viết khác : (rase) /reiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To completely destroy a building, structure, or town, especially by reducing it to the ground or to ruins. This is the primary meaning, implying total demolition.
- (Archaic/Literary) To erase, obliterate, or remove something completely, as if by scraping or scratching away. This meaning is now rare and often used in a figurative sense.
Usage and Examples
Verb (to destroy a structure):
- The old factory was razed to make way for a new park.
- The invading army razed the entire village.
- The city council voted to raze the condemned building.
Verb (archaic: to erase/obliterate):
- He wished to raze the painful memory from his mind. (Figurative, literary use)
- The king sought to raze his rival's name from the historical records.
Advanced Usage
"to raze something to the ground": This is a common collocation that emphasizes complete destruction, making the ground flat.
- The fortress was razed to the ground, leaving no trace of its former glory.
"to raze and rebuild": A phrase used in urban planning or development contexts.
- The developers plan to raze the old shopping center and rebuild a modern complex.
Variants and Related Words
Razing (noun): The act or process of completely destroying a building or structure.
- The razing of the historic district caused public outcry.
Raser/Razor (noun, archaic): One who or that which razes. (Note: This is distinct from the modern tool "razor," though they share an etymological root related to scraping.)
Synonyms
- Demolish: To pull or knock down (a building).
- Level: To make (a building or area) flat or level with the ground.
- Destroy: To put an end to the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it.
- Flatten: To make something flat, especially by crushing or destroying it.
Antonyms
- Build: To construct something by putting parts or material together.
- Construct: To build or erect (something, typically a building, road, or machine).
- Erect: To put together and set upright (a building, wall, or other structure).
Related Phrases and Idioms
"Raze from the earth": A dramatic phrase meaning to utterly destroy something so it no longer exists on the earth.
- The general vowed to raze the enemy's capital from the earth.
"Raze to the foundations": To destroy so thoroughly that only the foundations remain (or not even those).
- The earthquake razed the city to its foundations.
Verb
- tear down so as to make flat with the ground
- The building was levelled