Lewis & Short

ē-rŭo, ŭi, ŭtum, 3, v. a., to cast forth, throw out; to dig, tear, or pluck out (freq. and class.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: qui sciet, ubi quidque positum sit, quaque eo veniat, is, etiam si quid obrutum erit, poterit eruere, Cic. Fin. 4, 4 fin.; so, aurum terrā, Ov. Am. 3, 8, 53; cf.: caprificos sepulcris, Hor. Epod. 5, 17: gemmam vadis, Mart. 8, 28; Tac. A. 2, 69: segetem ab radicibus imis, Verg. G. 1, 320; cf.: pinum radicibus, id. A. 5, 449 Heyne N. cr.; and: herbam radicitus, Plin. 21, 11, 36, § 62: mortuum, Cic. Div. 1, 27 fin.: oculum, Plin. 25, 8, 50, § 89; 28, 8, 29, § 114: dentes de sinistra parte, id. 28, 8, 27, § 95: aquam remis, lo stir up, plough up, Ov. H. 5, 54; cf.: sepulcra (hyaena), Plin. 8, 30, 44, § 106.
      Poet. in Greek construction: eruitur oculos, his eyes are torn out, Ov. M. 12, 269 (cf. Zumpt, Gram. § 458).
    2. B. Since the Aug. per., sometimes, in partic., to root out, to destroy from the foundation: urbem totam a sedibus, Verg. A. 2, 612; Sil. 3, 2, 13; cf. under II. B. 2.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to draw out, bring out, elicit: inde tamen aliquando (servum fugitivum) eruam, Vat. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 9 fin.; cf. Curt. 4, 14: scrutari locos, ex quibus argumenta eruamus, Cic. de Or. 2, 34, 146; cf. id. Tusc. 1, 13: si quid est, quod indagaris, inveneris, ex tenebris erueris, id. Agr. 1, 3: ex annalium vetustate eruenda est memoria nobilitatis tuae, id. Mur. 7, 16: memoriam, id. de Or. 2, 68, 360: veritatem, Quint. 12, 9, 3: causam rerum et rationem, Plin. 18, 4, 5, § 24: sacra recognosces annalibus eruta priscis, Ov. F. 1, 17: mi sicunde potes, erues, qui decem legati Mummio fuerint, Cic. Att. 13, 30, 2 et saep.: fanum erui volo; neque hoc mihi erui potest, I cannot be talked out of it, id. ib. 12, 36.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To rescue, release: propter difficultatem pecuniariam, qua erui nusquam nisi ex privatorum bonis posset, Cic. Att. 10, 14, 1.
      2. 2. To overthrow, destroy: Trojanas ut opes et lamentabile regnum Eruerint Danai, Verg. A. 2, 5; cf. civitatem, Tac. H. 4, 72: Thracas (with frangere gentem), Stat. Th. 5, 76.