different between subvert vs demolish

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English subverten, from Old French subvertir, from Latin subvert? (“to overthrow”, literally “to underturn, turn from beneath”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s?b?v??t/
• (US) enPR: s?bvûrt?, IPA^(key): /s?b?v?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t

Verb

subvert (third-person singular simple present subverts, present participle subverting, simple past and past participle subverted)

1. (transitive) To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin utterly.
   • , Book IV, Chapter XVIII

     This would be to subvert the principles and foundations of all knowledge.

2. (transitive) To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.

   A dictator stays in power only as long as he manages to subvert the will of his people.

3. (transitive) To upturn convention from the foundation by undermining it (literally, to turn from beneath).

Derived terms

• subversion
• subversive

Translations

Etymology 2

Back-formation from subvertising, by analogy with advert.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?bv??t/
• (US) enPR: s?b?vûrt, IPA^(key): /?s?bv?t/
• Rhymes: -??(r)t

Noun

subvert (plural subverts)

1. An advertisement created by subvertising.

Synonyms

• subvertisement

Translations

English

Etymology

Attested since the 16th century; from Middle French demoliss-, the stem of some conjugated forms of the verb demolir (“to destroy”, “to tear down”), from Latin d?m?lior (“I tear down”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??m?l.??/

Verb

demolish (third-person singular simple present demolishes, present participle demolishing, simple past and past participle demolished)

1. To destroy.
2. (transitive, figuratively) To defeat or consume utterly (as a theory, belief or opponent).
   • 1992, Robert Rankin, The Antipope (page 68)

     The Captain folded his brow into a look of intense perplexity. 'You seem exceedingly spry for a man who demolished an entire bottle of brandy and better part of an ounce of shag in a single evening.'
     'And very nice too,' said the tramp. 'Now as to breakfast?'

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:destroy

Related terms

• demolition

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “demolish”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• modelish