Meaning & Definition of word "Erase"

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    Erase

    /ɪˈreɪz/

    verb:

    • 1. to remove written or printed marks from a surface.
      • Example: She used a cloth to erase the chalkboard after the lesson.
    • 2. to eliminate or destroy all traces of something.
      • Example: The lawyer aimed to erase any evidence that could link her client to the crime.
    • 3. to cancel or make void, as in a memory or thought.
      • Example: He tried to erase the painful memories of his childhood.

    Etymology

    From Latin 'erasus', past participle of 'eradere', meaning 'to scrape out'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    erase the board:

    To wipe the chalkboard clean.

    erase from existence:

    To remove something completely.

    erase a memory:

    To make a memory difficult to recall.

    Related Words

    eraser:

    A tool used to remove pencil marks.

    deletion:

    The act of removing or obliterating something.

    obliteration:

    The action of destroying something completely.

    Slang Meanings of erase

    Meaning: To ditch or get rid of something.

    Example Sentence: I need to erase that date from my calendar.

    Meaning: To cancel or back out of something.

    Example Sentence: He decided to erase his plans for the weekend.