abolish

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• transitive verb To do away with; put an end to; annul.
• transitive verb Archaic To destroy completely.

from The Century Dictionary.

• To do away with; put an end to; destroy; efface or obliterate; annihilate: as, to abolish customs or institutions; to abolish slavery; to abolish idols (Isa. ii. 18); to abolish death (2 Tim. i. 10).
• Synonyms To Abolish, Repeal, Rescind, Recall, Revoke, Abrogate, Annul, Cancel, end, destroy, do away with, set aside, nullify, annihilate, quash, vacate, make void, extirpate, eradicate, suppress, uproot, erase, expunge. Abolish is a strong word, and signifies a complete removal, generally but not always by a summary act. It is the word specially used in connection with things that have been long established or deeply rooted, as an institution or a custom: as, to abolish slavery or polygamy. Repeal is generally used of the formal rescinding of a legislative act. Abrogate, to abolish summarily, more often as the act of a ruler, but sometimes of a representative body. Annul, literally to bring to nothing, to deprive of all force or obligation, as a law or contract. Rescind (literally, to cut short) is coextensive in meaning with both repeal and annul. Recall, revoke (see renounce). Cancel is not used of laws, but of deeds, bonds, contracts, etc., and figuratively of whatever may be thought of as crossed out.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• transitive verb To do away with wholly; to annul; to make void; -- said of laws, customs, institutions, governments, etc..
• transitive verb Archaic To put an end to, or destroy, as a physical objects; to wipe out.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• verb do away with