To root out, destroy completely, or eradicate something unwanted.
From Latin 'averruncare,' composed of 'ab-' (from, away) + 'verruca' (wart), literally meaning 'to remove warts.' The sense extended to mean removing anything undesirable or evil.
The word literally comes from removing warts—but Romans used it for getting rid of evils, plagues, and enemies. It's surprisingly violent for something that started as a medical procedure!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.