razee, n. [F. vaisseau rasé, fr. raser to raze, to cut down ships. See Raze, v. t., Rase, v. t.].
An armed ship having her upper deck cut away, and thus reduced to the next inferior rate, as a seventy-four cut down to a frigate. Totten. [1913 Webster]
razee, v. t.
To cut down to a less number of decks, and thus to an inferior rate or class, as a ship; hence, to prune or abridge by cutting off or retrenching parts; as, to razee a book, or an article. [1913 Webster]