Dictionary

demolish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /dɪˈmɒl.ɪʃ/

Etymology

Attested since the 16th century; from Middle French demoliss-, the stem of some conjugated forms of the verb demolir (“to destroy”, “to tear down”), from Latin dēmōlior (“to tear down”). Displaced native Old English tōweorpan (literally “to throw apart”).

Meanings

1. (literally, transitive) To destroy (buildings, etc.), especially in a planned or intentional fashion.
   • The force of the explosion demolished one pair of piers and two spans of the bridge crashed down into the river on top of the barges. 1961 January, “Talking of Trains: The Severn Bridge disaster”, in Trains Illustrated, page 5:
   • They demolished the old mill and put up four townhouses.
   • The station did not have a long life, as it was demolished between 1884 and 1888 to make room for a new and larger station which forms part of the present Liverpool Exchange Station. 1957 August 14, “Notes and News: Tithebarn Street Station, Liverpool”, in Railway Magazine, page 590:
   • At Hawick, nothing remains of the station, and the viaduct over the River Teviot is one of a number of bridges that were demolished or removed following closure. 2020 May 6, Graeme Pickering, “Borders Railway: time for the next step”, in Rail, page 53:
2. (figuratively, transitive) To defeat, refute, discredit, or consume utterly (as a theory, belief or opponent).
   • Andrew Johnson scored a hat-trick as Fulham demolished London rivals Queens Park Rangers to win their Premier League fixture of the season. 2011 October 2, Kevin Core, “Fulham 6 - 0 QPR”, in BBC Sport:
   • The table opposite me is occupied by a young couple with a table full of alcohol and snacks. In a role reversal, he is drinking Smirnoff Ice while she steadily demolishes a six-pack of lager! 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 74:
   • The Captain folded his brow into a look of intense perplexity. 'You seem exceedingly spry for a man who demolished an entire bottle of brandy and better part of an ounce of shag in a single evening.' 'And very nice too,' said the tramp. 'Now as to breakfast?' 1992, Robert Rankin, The Antipope, page 68:
3. (transitive) To devour; to eat up
   • “Thanks, Raj.” Frank was too hungry to worry about Raj’s gob gloop on the bar, and happily demolished it in seconds. 2017, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Bad Dad, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:

Forms

Deriveds

demolishment · demolisher · undemolish · demolition · undemolished · demo · redemolish · demolishable

Translations (75)

cs bourat (to destroy) · ru сноси́ть (to destroy) · cmn 拆除 (to destroy) · sk búrať (to destroy) · pt demolir (to destroy) · hu bont (to destroy) · nrf dêmoli (to destroy) · cs demolovat (to destroy) · pl demolować (to destroy) · pl burzyć (to destroy) · la dēmōlior (to destroy) · hu ledönt (to destroy) · ny kugwétsa (to destroy) · ru разруша́ть (to destroy) · nn rive (to destroy) · el γκρεμίζω (to destroy) · kum дагъытмакъ (to destroy) · ota بوزمق (to destroy) · az uçurmaq (to destroy) · ru разру́шить (to destroy) · ba емереү (to destroy) · la dēruō (to destroy) · fi tuhota (to destroy) · id hancur lebur (to destroy) · fi hajottaa (to destroy) · de abreißen (to destroy) · de niederreißen (to destroy) · az sökmək (to destroy) · es demoler (to destroy) · uk знести́ (to destroy) · nb rive (to destroy) · bg разрушавам (to destroy) · uk зруйнува́ти (to destroy) · gd dì-làraich (to destroy) · pl zdemolować (to destroy) · eo malkonstrui (to destroy) · az dağıtmaq (to destroy) · km រុះរើ (to destroy) · da rive ned (to destroy) · ota ییقمق (to destroy) · el κατεδαφίζω (to destroy) · uk зно́сити (to destroy) · ka დანგრევა (to destroy) · tr yıkmak (to destroy) · da demolere (to destroy) · sq dërmoj (to destroy) · grc κατασκάπτω (to destroy) · pl zburzyć (to destroy) · ja 取り壊す (to destroy) · lus ṭhiat (to destroy) · et lammutama (to destroy) · nl slopen (to destroy) · ckb ڕوخاندن (to destroy) · vi phá hủy (to destroy) · ang tōweorpan (to destroy) · la disturbō (to destroy) · sv riva (to destroy) · tl gibain (to destroy) · uk розва́лювати (to destroy) · mi tukituki (to destroy) · sq prish (to destroy) · he הרס (to destroy) · mba ginuba (to destroy) · da sløjfe (to destroy) · ja 崩す (to destroy) · bg събарям (to destroy) · fr démolir (to destroy) · grc καθαιρέω (to destroy) · ca enderrocar (to destroy) · uk руйнува́ти (to destroy) · ang brēatan (to destroy) · ar هَدَمَ (to destroy) · ru снести́ (to destroy) · ro dărâma (to destroy) · it demolire (to destroy)