purge
- to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify.
- to rid, clear, or free (usually followed by of or from): to purge a political party of disloyal members.
- to clear of imputed guilt or ritual uncleanliness.
- to clear away or wipe out legally (an offense, accusation, etc.) by atonement or other suitable action.
- to remove by cleansing or purifying (often followed by away, off, or out).
- to clear or empty (the bowels) by causing evacuation.
- to cause evacuation of the bowels of (a person).
- to put to death or otherwise eliminate (undesirable or unwanted members) from a political organization, government, nation, etc.
- Metallurgy.
- to drive off (undesirable gases) from a furnace or stove.
- to free (a furnace or stove) of undesirable gases.
- to become cleansed or purified.
- to undergo or cause purging of the bowels.
- the act or process of purging.
- the removal or elimination of members of a political organization, government, nation, etc., who are considered disloyal or otherwise undesirable.
- something that purges, as a purgative medicine or dose.
Origin of purge
Synonyms
See more synonyms for purge on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for purger
Historical Examples
The sea, that purger of sick souls, had washed away the fever and the fret of the last few days.
The House of the VampireGeorge Sylvester Viereck
purge
- (tr) to rid (something) of (impure or undesirable elements)
- (tr) to rid (a state, political party, etc) of (dissident or troublesome people)
- (tr)
- to empty (the bowels) by evacuation of faeces
- to cause (a person) to evacuate his bowels
- to clear (a person) of a charge
- to free (oneself) of guilt, as by atonementto purge contempt
- (intr) to be cleansed or purified
- the act or process of purging
- the elimination of opponents or dissidents from a state, political party, etc
- a purgative drug or agent; cathartic
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for purger
purge
v.
c.1300, "clear of a charge or suspicion;" late 14c., "cleanse, clear, purify," from Anglo-French purger, Old French purgier "wash, clean; refine, purify" morally or physically (12c., Modern French purger) and directly from Latin purgare "cleanse, make clean; purify," especially of the body, "free from what is superfluous; remove, clear away," figuratively "refute, justify, vindicate" (also source of Spanish purgar, Italian purgare), from Old Latin purigare, from purus "pure" (see pure) + root of agere "to drive, make" (see act (n.)). Related: Purged; purging.
purge
n.
1560s, "that which purges," from purge (v.). Meaning "a purgative, an act of purging" is from 1590s. Political sense from 1730. Earliest sense in English was the now-obsolete one "examination in a legal court" (mid-15c.).
purge
(pûrj)- To cause evacuation of the bowels.
- The act or process of purging.
- Something that purges, especially a medicinal purgative.