Emily Dickinson Lexicon

EX-TERM'IN-ATE, v.t. [L. extermino; ex and terminus, limit. Literally, to drive from within the limits or borders. Hence,]

1. To destroy utterly; to drive away; to extirpate; as, to exterminate a colony, a tribe or a nation; to exterminate inhabitants or a race of men.
2. To eradicate; to root out; to extirpate; as, to exterminate error, heresy, infidelity or atheism; to exterminate vice.
3. To root out, as plants; to extirpate; as, to exterminate weeds.
4. In algebra, to take away; as, to exterminate surds or unknown quantities.