v. Obs. Forms: 6 arace, arrace, arrase. [a. OF. arase-r to raze, level with the ground, demolish, f. phr. à ras, as if ‘mettre à ras de terre,’ f. ras level:—L. rās-us, f. rād-ĕre to shave, scrape smooth. Cf. ERASE. In form confused with ARACE.] To raze, level with the ground, lay low. Also (? erroneously) To erase, obliterate. Hence Arasing, arracyng, vbl. sb., levelling with the ground, demolition.

1

1523.  State Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 46. The goodly valiaunt exployt … at Gedworth, with the arracyng and destruccion of the same.

2

1530.  Palsgr., 435/2. I arace, I scrape out a worde or a blotte … Je efface.

3

1532.  More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 355/2. So that the remembraunce of theire pestylent errours were araced out of englishe mennes heartes.

4

1553.  Lett., in Harrington’s Nugæ Ant., 175. Sickness whearewith your Lordshipp hath oftentimes bene arrased.

5

[1721.  Bailey, Arace, to deface.]

6