scour

To scour is defined as to clean or polish, often by hard scrubbing, or to get rid of something negative.

(verb)

  1. An example of to scour is to clean out a greasy pot.
  2. An example of to scour is to get rid of fleas in a home.

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See scour in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

  1. to clean or polish by vigorous rubbing, as with abrasives, soap and water, etc.; make clean and bright
  2. to remove dirt and grease from (wool, etc.)
    1. to wash or clear as by a swift current of water; flush
    2. to wash away, or remove in this way
  3. to clear the intestines of; purge
  4. to clean (wheat)
  5. to remove as if by cleaning; sweep away; get rid of

Origin: ME scouren < MDu scuren < ? OFr escurer < VL *excurare, to take great care of < L ex-, intens. + curare, to take care of < cura, care

intransitive verb

  1. to clean things by vigorous rubbing and polishing
  2. to become clean and bright by being scoured

noun

  1. the act of scouring
  2. a cleansing agent used in scouring
  3. a scoured place, as a part of a channel where mud has been washed away
  4. dysentery in cattle, etc.

Related Forms:

transitive verb

to pass over quickly, or range over or through, as in search or pursuit: to scour a town for an escaped convict

Origin: ME scouren < ? OFr escourre, to run forth < VL *excurrere < L ex-, out + currere, to run

intransitive verb

to run or range about, as in search or pursuit

Related Forms:

See scour in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb scoured, scour·ing, scours
verb, transitive
  1. a. To clean, polish, or wash by scrubbing vigorously: scour a dirty oven.
    b. To remove by scrubbing: scour grease from a pan.
  2. To remove dirt or grease from (cloth or fibers) by means of a detergent.
  3. To clean (wheat) before the milling process.
  4. To clear (an area) by freeing of weeds or other vegetation.
  5. To clear (a channel or pipe) by flushing.
verb, intransitive
  1. To scrub something in order to clean or polish it.
  2. To have diarrhea. Used of livestock.
noun
  1. A scouring action or effect.
  2. A place that has been scoured, as by flushing with water.
  3. A cleansing agent for wool.
  4. scours (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Diarrhea in livestock.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English scouren

Origin: , from Middle Dutch scūren

Origin: , from Old French escurer

Origin: , from Late Latin excūrāre, to clean out

Origin: : Latin ex-, ex-

Origin: , Late Latin cūrāre, to clean (from Latin, to take care of, from cūra, care; see cure)

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Related Forms:

  • scourˈer noun

verb scoured, scour·ing, scours
verb, transitive
  1. To search through or over thoroughly: The detective scoured the scene of the crime for clues.
  2. To range over (an area) quickly and energetically.
verb, intransitive
  1. To range over or about an area, especially in a search.
  2. To move swiftly; scurry.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English scouren, to move swiftly

Origin: , probably of Scandinavian origin

Origin: ; akin to Old Norse skūr, shower

.

Related Forms:

  • scourˈer noun

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