Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RASE, v.t. [s as z. Fr. raser; Sp. and Port. rasar; It. rasare and raschiare; Arm. raza; L. rasus, rado. With these words accord the W. rhathu; to rub off; rhathell, a rasp, Eth. ረወተ root, to rub or wipe. See the verb to row, which is radically the same word. If g in grate is a prefix, the word is formed on the same radix. Class Rd, No. 10, 13, 17, 25, 35, 38, 42, 56, 58, 61, 62, 64, 81.]

1. To pass along the surface of a thing, with striking or rubbing it at the same time; to grime. Might not the bullet which rased his cheek, have gone into his head? [Obs.] – South.
2. To erase; to scratch or rub out; or to blot out; to cancel. – Milton. [In this sense, erase is generally used.]
3. To level with the ground; to overthrow; to destroy; as, to rase a city. – Milton. [In this sense race is generally used. This orthography, rase, may therefore be considered as nearly obsolete; graze, erase and raze having superseded it.]