Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Demolish \De*mol"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Demolished}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Demolishing}.] [F. d['e]molir, fr. L. demoliri, p.
   p. demolitus; de- + moliri to set a thing in motion, to work,
   construct, from moles a huge mass or structure. See {Mole} a
   mound, and {Finish}.]
   To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to
   pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, or a
   wall.

         I expected the fabric of my book would long since have
         been demolished, and laid even with the ground.
                                                  --Tillotson.

   Syn: To {Demolish}, {Overturn}, {Destroy}, {Dismantle},
        {Raze}. That is overturned or overthrown which had stood
        upright; that is destroyed whose component parts are
        scattered; that is demolished which had formed a mass or
        structure; that is dismantled which is stripped of its
        covering, as a vessel of its sails, or a fortress of its
        bastions, etc.; that is razed which is brought down
        smooth, and level to the ground. An ancient pillar is
        overturned or overthrown as the result of decay; a city
        is destroyed by an invasion of its enemies; a monument,
        the walls of a castle, a church, or any structure, real
        or imaginary, may be demolished; a fortress may be
        dismantled from motives of prudence, in order to render
        it defenseless; a city may be razed by way of
        punishment, and its ruins become a memorial of
        vengeance.

Source : WordNet®

demolish
     v 1: destroy completely; "the wrecking ball demolished the
          building"; "demolish your enemies"; "pulverize the
          rebellion before it gets out of hand" [syn: {pulverize},
           {pulverise}]
     2: humiliate or depress completely; "She was crushed by his
        refusal of her invitation"; "The death of her son smashed
        her" [syn: {crush}, {smash}]
     3: defeat soundly; "The home team demolished the visitors"
        [syn: {destroy}]