Emily Dickinson Lexicon

E-RASE, v.t. [L. erado, erasi; e and rado, to scrape, Fr. raser, Sp. raer, It. raschiare, Arm. raza. See Ar. أَرَضَ eratsa, to corrode, Ch. גרד, to scrape, Heb. חרט, a graving tool, Syr. and Ar. خَرََطَ garata, to scrape. Class Rd, No. 35, 38, and 58.]

1. To rub or scrape out, as letters or characters written, engraved or painted; to efface; as, to erase a word or a name.
2. To obliterate; to expunge; to blot out; as with pen and ink.
3. To efface; to destroy; as ideas in the mind or memory.
4. To destroy to the foundation. [See Raze.]