Etymology: < raze v. Compare earlier race n.³ (and see discussion of forms at raze v.), razing n.

Etymology: Origin unknown.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman rasere, rasser, Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French raser to shave (a person, a part of the body, etc.) (late 12th cent. in Old French; earliest in sense †‘to fill to the brim’ (c1140)), to scrape or graze in passing (late 12th cent.), to strike off (corn, etc.) at the level of the measure (end of the 12th cent. or earlier), to tear down, demolish, level (a town, etc.) (late 13th cent.), to erase (writing) (a1321 or earlier), to polish (a stone) (1355), (of a horse) to lose the black marks in the cavities of the corner teeth as they become smooth with age (1678) < an unattested post-classical Latin variant (with generalization of the past participial stem rās- ) of classical Latin rādere to scrape, scratch, to scrape off, to shave, to rub smooth, to erase (writing), to touch lightly in passing, in post-classical Latin also to strike off (grain) at the level of the measure (from 12th cent. in British sources); of uncertain origin. Compare post-classical Latin rasare to level with the ground, to raze (12th cent.; 13th cent. in British sources), to erase (13th cent. in a British source), to strike off (grain) at the level of the measure (14th cent. in a British source), Catalan rasar (14th cent.), Spanish rasar (end of the 15th cent.), Portuguese rasar (1642), Italian rasare (1598). Compare later race v.², raise v.², and rash v.³ Compare also arase v.With form rese perhaps compare Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French rere ( < classical Latin rādere ), with a similar range of senses. It is uncertain whether -s- in some of the α. forms shows a voiced or unvoiced consonant. Compare race v.²