Erasing
ɪˈreɪzɪŋ
Definitions
2 meaningsTo remove marks, writing, or information.
ɪˈreɪzɪŋ
To remove or obliterate something.
The teacher was erasing the board after the lesson.
💡 Simply: Think of using an eraser on a whiteboard or deleting something from your computer. Erasing means making it disappear or go away.
👶 For kids: Making something go away, like rubbing out a drawing or deleting a game on your tablet.
More Examples
I need to erase the hard drive before selling my computer.
The company tried to erase all mentions of the scandal from the internet.
How It's Used
"She was erasing the mistake from the whiteboard."
"He is erasing the files from his computer."
"The regime attempted to erase the records of its predecessors."
To cause someone to forget something.
ɪˈreɪzɪŋ
To remove or obliterate memories or experiences from someone's mind.
Therapy can help people erase painful memories.
💡 Simply: It can also mean to make someone forget something, like erasing a bad memory or a hurtful experience from their mind.
👶 For kids: Making a bad memory or feeling go away, like when you forget something that made you sad.
More Examples
He tried to erase the image of the accident from his mind.
It's impossible to completely erase the impact of the war.
How It's Used
"She hoped to erase the trauma from her childhood."
"The story was about someone trying to erase their past."
From Middle English *erasen*, from Old French *esracer* (“to scrape off, erase”), from Latin *erādere* (“to scrape out, erase”), from *e-* (“out, from”) + *rādere* (“to scrape”).
The verb 'erase' has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to removing marks made by a pen or pencil.
Memory tip
Imagine using an eraser to remove pencil marks – that's erasing!
Practice
Word Origin
Root: erādere