raze
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: rāz
ipa: /ɹeɪz/
ipa: /ɹæɪz/
homophone: raise
homophone: rase
homophone: rays
homophone: rehs
homophone: réis
homophone: res
rhymes: -eɪz
Forms: form: razes
form: rase
Etymology: The verb is derived from Middle English rasen, racen, rase (“to scrape; to shave; to erase; to pull; to strip off; to pluck or tear out; to root out (a tree, etc.); to pull away, snatch; to pull down; to knock down; to rend, tear apart; to pick clean, strip; to cleave, slice; to sever; to lacerate; to pierce; to carve, engrave; to dig; (figurative) to expunge, obliterate; to alter”), from Anglo-Norman raser, rasere, rasser, Middle French raser, and Old French raser (“to shave; to touch lightly, graze; to level off (grain, etc.) in a measure; to demolish, tear down; to erase; to polish; to wear down”), from Vulgar Latin *raso (“to shave; to scrape; to scratch; to touch lightly, graze”), from Latin rāsus (“scraped; shaved”), the perfect passive participle of rādō (“to scrape, scratch; to shave; to rub, smooth; to brush along, graze”). Doublet of rash (etymology 2 and etymology 7).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Senses: examples: text: And verely the Emperour Nero vvas ſo greatly enamoured vpon one image of Alexander [the Great], that hee commaunded it to be guilded all over: but aftervvards, ſeeing that the more coſt vvas beſtovved upon it by laying on gold, the leſſe vvas the art ſeene of the firſt vvorkman [Lysippos], ſo that it loſt all the beautie and grace that it had by that means, he cauſed the gold to be taken off againe: and verely, the ſaid image thus unguilded as it vvas, ſeemed farre more precious than it vvas vvhiles it ſtood ſo enriched vvith gold, notvvithſtanding all the hackes, cuts, gaſhes, and raſes all over the bodie vvherein the gold did ſticke, remained ſtill, vvhich in ſome ſort might disfigure it.
ref: 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXXIV.] Of 366 Excellent Peeces of Worke in Brasse, and as Many Cunning Artificers in that Kind.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 499:
text: [I]f you make tvvo razes on each ſide [of the horse's hoof], it ſhall bee ſo much the better, and inlarge the hoofe the more; […]
ref: 1610, Gervase Markham, “Of the Hoofe-bound”, in Markhams Maister-peece. Or, What doth a Horse-man Lacke. Containing All Possible Knowledge whatsoeuer which doth Belong to any Smith, Farrier, or Horse-leech, Touching the Curing of All Manner of Diseases or Sorrances in Horses; […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson, […], →OCLC, 2nd book (Containing All Cures Chyrurgicall, […]), pages 382–383:
text: [A] man had better receive tvventy vvounds in his good name, then but a ſingle raze in his conſcience.
ref: 1631 November (date delivered), Robert Sanderson, “[Ad Aulum.] The First Sermon. White Hall, November 1631.”, in Twenty Sermons Formerly Preached. […], London: […] R. Norton, for Henry Seile […], published 1656, →OCLC, page 21:
text: [T]ake the Cold-Chiſſel in your left hand, and ſet the edge of it upon that mark or raſe, and vvith the Hand Hammer in your right hand ſtrike upon the Head of the Cold-Chiſſel, till you cut, or rather punch the edge of the Cold-Chiſſel almoſt through the Plate in that place: […]
ref: 1678 January 11 – February 11 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Moxon, “Numb[er] II. Applied to the Making of Hinges, Locks, Keys, Screws and Nuts Small and Great. Of Hinges.”, in Mechanick Exercises, or The Doctrine of Handy-Works, […], volume I, London: […] Joseph Moxon, published 1683, →OCLC, page 17:
glosses: A slight wound; a scratch; also, a cut, a slit.