sur-rŭo (subr-), ŭi, ŭtum, 3, v. a., to tear down below, to undermine, to dig under, dig out; to break down, overthrow, demolish, etc. (class.; perh. not in Cic.).
I Lit.: arbores a radicibus, Caes. B. G. 6, 27: robora, Ov. M. 15, 228: ubi ingentes speluncas surruit aetas, Lucr. 6, 545: murum surruunt, Caes. B. G. 2, 6: multis simul locis aut surruti aut ariete decussi ruebant muri, Liv. 33, 17, 9: moenia cuniculo, id. 5, 21, 6: muri partem ariete incusso, id. 31, 46, 15; 21, 11, 8; 34, 29, 6: muros (with perfringere), Tac. H. 3, 28: turrim, Caes. B. C. 2, 12: vallum, Tac. H. 3, 28: arces et stantia moenia, Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 23: arces mundi, Prop. 3, 5 (4, 4), 31: claustra Pelusi Romano ferro, id. 3, 9, 55: montes, Plin. Ep. 8, 17, 3: harena fluctibus subruta, Vitr. 5, 12.—Poet.: haerens Subruta fallaci servat vestigia limo, Stat. Th. 9, 475.—
II Trop., to undermine , subvert , corrupt : omnis surruitur natura, Lucr. 4, 866: nostram libertatem, Liv. 41, 23, 8: animum laudis avarum, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 180: animos militum variis artibus, Tac. H. 2, 101: aemulos Reges muneribus, Hor. C. 3, 16, 14: ne multorum securitas subruatur, Traj. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 111 (112).