exorcise

[ek-sawr-sahyz, -ser-] /ˈɛk sɔrˌsaɪz, -sər-/
verb (used with object), exorcised, exorcising.
1.
to seek to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration or religious or solemn ceremonies:
to exorcise a demon.
2.
to free (a person, place, etc.) of evil spirits or malignant influences.
Also, exorcize.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Late Latin exorcizāre < Greek exorkízein, equivalent to ex- ex-3 + (h)orkízein to cause (someone) to swear an oath
Related forms
exorcisement, noun
exorciser, noun
unexorcised, adjective
Can be confused
exercise, exorcise (see synonym study at exercise)
Examples from the web for exorcise
  • Otherwise her story serves only to exorcise her own demons and leaves the helpless stepchild to fend for herself.
  • Clever encoding and signal-processing algorithms can exorcise such ghosts.
  • Together, they set out to exorcise the demonic spirit.
  • To do them some good they should help them exorcise their fears instead of adding to their folly.
  • We need to face our proverbial demons and somehow exorcise them.
  • He, as stated, has a pretty unorthodox way of teaching his students how to exorcise a demon.
British Dictionary definitions for exorcise

exorcize

/ˈɛksɔːˌsaɪz/
verb
1.
(transitive) to expel or attempt to expel (one or more evil spirits) from (a person or place believed to be possessed or haunted), by prayers, adjurations, and religious rites
Derived Forms
exorcizer, exorciser, noun
exorcism, noun
exorcist, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Late Latin exorcizāre, from Greek exorkizein, from ex-1 + horkizein to adjure
Word Origin and History for exorcise
v.

c.1400, "to invoke spirits," from Old French exorciser (14c.), from Late Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein "banish an evil spirit; bind by oath" (see exorcism).

Sense of "calling up evil spirits to drive them out" became dominant 16c. A rare case where -ise trumps -ize on both sides of the Atlantic, perhaps by influence of exercise. Related: Exorcised; exorcising.