demolitionistn.

1820 Brit. Critic Feb. 175 His attempts to white-wash the character of that intrepid demolitionist, have not been altogether unattended with success.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. iii. v. 180 Lafayette..is marching homewards with some dozen of arrested demolitionists.

1852 Fraser's Mag. 46 28 The Ultra-democratic party (not yet Republicans, only Demolitionists).

1873 Sat. Rev. 1 Mar. 276/2 There exists the access to the Embankment by way of Whitehall Place, not quite so direct as a new line to the north-east would be, but still possessed of conveniences which, the demolitionists find it convenient to forget.

1905 Windsor Mag. June 89/2 I continue a Demolitionist, for I still object to marriage—in the abstract.

1990 V. P. Hamilton Bk. Genesis 12 Astruc was no demolitionist who wished to dissociate himself from the mainstream Christianity of the day.

1927 Times 17 May 14/6 It gave 21 days to a Bill of eight clauses, which was ample for genuine architects and vexatious only to demolitionists.

1945 in J. E. Lewis Mammoth Bk. War Correspondents (2001) 389 The assault platoon of flame throwers and demolitionists, spearheading the regiment's push through the Wilderness, lost two assistant squad leaders.

1992 Evening Standard (Nexis) 1 May 9 A mouldering St Pancras, aching for the demolitionist's lead ball.

2009 G. A. Akerlof & R. J. Shiller Animal Spirits (Paperback ed.) Pref. p. xii There is a powerful incentive for demolitionists to do something antisocial and illegally dump the asbestos.