Lewis & Short

dē-mōlĭor, ītus, 4, v. dep. a., to cast off, remove.

  1. I. In gen. So only once in a trop. sense: culpam de me demolibor, Plaut. Bac. 3, 1, 16.
    Far more freq.,
  2. II. In partic., of buildings, to throw down, pull or tear down, demolish (for syn. cf.: deleo, eluo, diluo, diruo, everto, destruo).
    1. A. Lit.: monimenta virum, Lucr. 6, 242; (Lachm. lamenta): domum, Cic. Off. 1, 39: parietem, id. Top. 4, 22: statuas, id. Verr. 2, 2, 67: signum, id. ib. 2, 4, 39: columnas, id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1 fin.: munitiones, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Non. 95, 22; cf. Nep. Timol. 3, 3: deum immortalium templa, Liv. 42, 3.
        1. b. Of inanimate subjects: arcus et statuas, aras etiam templaque demolitur et obscurat oblivio, Plin. Pan. 55, 9.
    2. B. Trop., to demolish, destroy: aevi prioris Robora, Ov. M. 15, 228: si quod cuiquam privatim officiet jus, id destruet ac demolietur, quid attinebit? etc., Liv. 34, 3: Bacchanalia, id. 39, 16: faciem, to disfigure, Hier. in Matt. 6, 16 (as a transl. of the Gr. ἀφανίζειν τὸ πρόσωπον): terram, lay waste, Vulg. 4 Reg. 18, 25; id. Jer. 51, 2.
      Absol.: ubi tinea demolitur, id. Matt. 6, 19 sq.
      Note:
        1. a. Act. form dēmōlĭo, īre, Naev. ap. Diom. p. 395 P. (Com. v. 48 Rib.); Varr. ib. Lex ap. Front. Aquaed. 129; Lact. 4, 11, 6.
        2. b. Demolior, īri, in pass. signif., Lex ap. Front. l. l.; Curio ap. Prisc. p. 793 P.; Dig. 7, 4, 10; 41, 3, 23; Inscr. Orell. 3015.