FAQ 12.05 Does delete p delete the pointer p or the referent p ?

FAQ 12.05 Does delete p delete the pointer p or the referent *p?

The referent *p.

If verbosity were a virtue, the syntax would be changed from delete p to deleteTheThingPointedToBy p. One could argue that the current syntax is misleading, but the same abuse of English occurs with free(p) from the C language: free(p) doesn't free p; rather it frees the memory pointed to by p.