I.v. dep. a., to cast off, remove.
I. In gen. So only once in a trop. sense: “culpam de me demolibor,” Plaut. Bac. 3, 1, 16.—Far more freq.,
II. In partic., of buildings, to throw down, pull or tear down, demolish (for syn. cf.: deleo, eluo, diluo, diruo, everto, destruo).
A. Lit.: “monimenta virum,” Lucr. 6, 242; “(Lachm. lamenta): domum,” Cic. Off. 1, 39: “parietem,” id. Top. 4, 22: “statuas,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 67: “signum,” id. ib. 2, 4, 39: “columnas,” id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1 fin.: munitiones, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Non. 95, 22; cf. Nep. Timol. 3, 3: “deum immortalium templa,” Liv. 42, 3.—
b. Of inanimate subjects: “arcus et statuas, aras etiam templaque demolitur et obscurat oblivio,” Plin. Pan. 55, 9.—
B. Trop., to demolish, destroy: “aevi prioris Robora,” Ov. M. 15, 228: “si quod cuiquam privatim officiet jus, id destruet ac demolietur, quid attinebit? etc.,” Liv. 34, 3: “Bacchanalia,” id. 39, 16: “faciem,” to disfigure, Hier. in Matt. 6, 16 (as a transl. of the Gr. ἀφανίζειν τὸ πρόσωπον): “terram,” lay waste, Vulg. 4 Reg. 18, 25; id. Jer. 51, 2.—Absol.: “ubi tinea demolitur,” id. Matt. 6, 19 sq.!*?
a. Act. form dēmōlĭo, īre, Naev. ap. Diom. p. 395 P. (Com. v. 48 Rib.); Varr. ib. Lex ap. Front. Aquaed. 129; Lact. 4, 11, 6.—
b. Demolior, īri, in pass. signif., Lex ap. Front. l. l.; Curio ap. Prisc. p. 793 P.; Dig. 7, 4, 10; 41, 3, 23; Inscr. Orell. 3015.
