De-mōl'ish, v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. DEMOLISHED (de-mōl'isht); p. pr. & vb. n. DEMOLISHING.] [Fr. dé-molir, Pr., Pg., & O. Sp. demolir, N. Sp. demoler, It. demolire, from Lat. demoliri, from de and moliri, to set a thing in motion, to construct, from moles, a huge mass or structure.] To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, a wall, or fortification. “Their demolished works to pieces rent.” Dryden.

Synonyms—To DEMOLISH, OVERTURN, DESTROY, DISMANTLE, RAZE. That is overturned or overthrown which had stood upright; that is destroyed whose component parts are scattered; that is demolished which had formed a mass or structure; that is dismantled which is stripped of its covering, as a vessel of its sails, or a fortress of its bastions, &c.; that is razed which is brought down smooth and level to the ground. An ancient pillar is overturned or overthrown as the result of decay; a city is destroyed by an invasion of its enemies; a building is sometimes demolished to make way for warlike operations; a fortress may be dismantled from motives of prudence, in order to render it defenseless; a city may be razed by way of punishment, that it may be left as a monument of public vengeance.