De*mol"ish (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demolished (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Demolishing.] [F. démolir, fr. L. demoliri, p. p. demolitus; de- + moliri to set a thing in motion, to work, construct, from moles a huge mass or structure. See Mole a mound, and Finish.] To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, or a wall.
I expected the fabric of my book would long since have been demolished, and laid even with the ground.
Tillotson.
Syn. -- To Demolish, Overturn, Destroy, Dismantle, Raze. That is overturned or overthrown which had stood upright; that is destroyed whose component parts are scattered; that is demolished which had formed a mass or structure; that is dismantled which is stripped of its covering, as a vessel of its sails, or a fortress of its bastions, etc.; that is razed which is brought down smooth, and level to the ground. An ancient pillar is overturned or overthrown as the result of decay; a city is destroyed by an invasion of its enemies; a monument, the walls of a castle, a church, or any structure, real or imaginary, may be demolished; a fortress may be dismantled from motives of prudence, in order to render it defenseless; a city may be razed by way of punishment, and its ruins become a memorial of vengeance.
De*mol"ish`er (?), n. One who, or that which, demolishes; as, a demolisher of towns.
De*mol"ish*ment (?), n. Demolition.
Dem`o*li"tion (?; 277), n. [L. demolitio, fr. demoliri: cf. F. démolition. See Demolish.] The act of overthrowing, pulling down, or destroying a pile or structure; destruction by violence; utter overthrow; -- opposed to construction; as, the demolition of a house, of military works, of a town, or of hopes.
Dem`o*li"tion*ist, n. A demolisher. [R.] Carlyle.
De"mon (?), n. [F. démon, L. daemon a spirit, an evil spirit, fr. Gr. &?; a divinity; of uncertain origin.] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a middle place between men and deities in pagan mythology.
The demon kind is of an intermediate nature between the divine and the human.
Sydenham.
2. One's genius; a tutelary spirit or internal voice; as, the demon of Socrates. [Often written dæmon.]