I.to tear down below, to undermine, to dig under, dig out; to break down, overthrow, demolish, etc. (class.; perh. not in Cic.).
I. Lit.: “arbores a radicibus,” Caes. B. G. 6, 27: “robora,” Ov. M. 15, 228: “ubi ingentes speluncas surruit aetas,” Lucr. 6, 545: “murum surruunt,” Caes. B. G. 2, 6: “multis simul locis aut surruti aut ariete decussi ruebant muri,” Liv. 33, 17, 9: “moenia cuniculo,” id. 5, 21, 6: “muri partem ariete incusso,” id. 31, 46, 15; 21, 11, 8; 34, 29, 6: “muros (with perfringere),” Tac. H. 3, 28: “turrim,” Caes. B. C. 2, 12: “vallum,” Tac. H. 3, 28: “arces et stantia moenia,” Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 23: “arces mundi,” Prop. 3, 5 (4, 4), 31: “claustra Pelusi Romano ferro,” id. 3, 9, 55: “montes,” Plin. Ep. 8, 17, 3: “harena fluctibus subruta,” Vitr. 5, 12.—Poet.: “haerens Subruta fallaci servat vestigia limo,” Stat. Th. 9, 475.—
II. Trop., to undermine, subvert, corrupt: “omnis surruitur natura,” Lucr. 4, 866: “nostram libertatem,” Liv. 41, 23, 8: “animum laudis avarum,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 180: “animos militum variis artibus,” Tac. H. 2, 101: “aemulos Reges muneribus,” Hor. C. 3, 16, 14: ne multorum securitas subruatur, Traj. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 111 (112).