obliterate - Definitions from Dictionary.com

8 results for: obliterate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ob·lit·er·ate

Audio Help [uh-blit-uh-reyt] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing.

1.	to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely.

2.	to blot out or render undecipherable (writing, marks, etc.); efface.

[Origin: 1590–1600; < L oblitterātus (ptp. of oblitterāre, efface, cause to be forgotten), equiv. to ob- ob- + litter(a) letter + -ātus -ate¹

]

—Related forms

ob·lit·er·a·ble

Audio Help [uh-blit-er-uh-buh

l] Pronunciation Key, adjective

o·blit·er·a·tor, noun

—Synonyms 2. expunge. See cancel.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

o·blit·er·ate Audio Help (ə-blĭt'ə-rāt', ō-blĭt'-) Pronunciation Key
tr.v. o·blit·er·at·ed, o·blit·er·at·ing, o·blit·er·ates

To do away with completely so as to leave no trace. See Synonyms at abolish.
To wipe out, rub off, or erase (writing or other markings).
Medicine To remove completely (a body organ or part), as by surgery, disease, or radiation.

[Latin oblitterāre, oblitterāt-, to erase, from ob litterās (scrībere), (to write) over letters (ob, over; see ob- + litterās, accusative pl. of littera, letter) and from oblītus, past participle of oblīvīscī, to forget; see oblivion.]

o·blit'er·a'tion n., o·blit'er·a'tive (-ə-rā'tĭv, -ər-ə-tĭv) adj., o·blit'er·a'tor n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
obliterate

1600, from L. obliteratus, pp. of obliterare "cause to disappear, efface," from ob "against" + litera "letter, script" (see letter), abstracted from phrase literas scribere "write across letters, strike out letters."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

obliterate
adjective
1.	reduced to nothingness [syn: blotted out]
verb
1.	mark for deletion, rub off, or erase; "kill these lines in the President's speech" [syn: kill]
2.	make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing; "a hidden message"; "a veiled threat" [syn: obscure]
3.	remove completely from recognition or memory; "efface the memory of the time in the camps"
4.	do away with completely, without leaving a trace

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
obliterate1 [əˈblitəreit] verb

to cover, to prevent from being visible
Example: The sand-storm obliterated his footprints.

Arabic:	يَطْمُس، يَدْثُر
Chinese (Simplified):	涂抹去，使湮没
Chinese (Traditional):	塗抹去，使湮沒
Czech:	zahladit, smazat
Danish:	udviske
Dutch:	uitwissen
Estonian:	kustutama
Finnish:	häivyttää
French:	effacer
German:	auslöschen
Greek:	εξαλείφω, σβήνω
Hungarian:	eltöröl
Icelandic:	þurrka út, afmá
Indonesian:	menutup
Italian:	cancellare

Japanese:	跡を消す
Korean:	(흔적·기억을) 지우다
Latvian:	izdzēst; pārklāt
Lithuanian:	išdildyti, sunaikinti
Norwegian:	dekke til; viske ut
Polish:	zatrzeć
Portuguese (Brazil):	apagar
Portuguese (Portugal):	apagar
Romanian:	a şterge
Russian:	стирать
Slovak:	zmazať
Slovenian:	zabrisati
Spanish:	borrar, obliterar
Swedish:	utplåna, avlägsna
Turkish:	bozmak, örtmek

obliterate2 [əˈblitəreit] verb

to destroy completely
Example: The town was obliterated by the bombs.

Arabic:	يُزيل، يَمْحَق، يُدَمِّر
Chinese (Simplified):	使消失
Chinese (Traditional):	使消失
Czech:	vyhladit
Danish:	udslette
Dutch:	vernietigen
Estonian:	hävitama
Finnish:	tuhota
French:	rayer
German:	auslöschen
Greek:	καταστρέφω ολοσχερώς, ισοπεδώνω
Hungarian:	kiirt, eltöröl
Icelandic:	þurrka út, eyða
Indonesian:	membinasakan
Italian:	distruggere

Japanese:	消滅させる
Korean:	(문자·기호 등을) 지우다; 말소하다
Latvian:	iznīcināt; noslaucīt no zemes virsas
Lithuanian:	nušluoti nuo žemės paviršiaus
Norwegian:	utslette, tilintetgjøre
Polish:	zmieść z powierzchni ziemi
Portuguese (Brazil):	arrasar
Portuguese (Portugal):	arrasar
Romanian:	a distruge
Russian:	уничтожать
Slovak:	vyhladiť
Slovenian:	uničiti
Spanish:	destruir, arrasar
Swedish:	utplåna, förinta
Turkish:	yerle bir etmek

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Obliterate

Ob*lit"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obliterated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obliterating.] [L. obliteratus, p. p. of obliterare to obliterate; ob (see Ob-) + litera, littera, letter. See Letter.]

1. To erase or blot out; to efface; to render undecipherable, as a writing.

2. To wear out; to remove or destroy utterly by any means; to render imperceptible; as. to obliterate ideas; to obliterate the monuments of antiquity.

The harsh and bitter feelings of this or that experience are slowly obliterated. --W. Black.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Obliterate

Ob*lit"er*ate\, a. (Zo["o]l.) Scarcely distinct; -- applied to the markings of insects.

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