scour

¹ American  

[skou^uhr, skou-er] / skaʊər, ˈskaʊ ər /

verb (used with object)

1. to remove dirt, grease, etc., from or to cleanse or polish by hard rubbing, as with a rough or abrasive material.

   to scour pots and pans.

   Synonyms:

   rub, shine, buff, burnish

2. to remove (dirt, grease, etc.) from something by hard rubbing.

   to scour grease from pots and pans.

3. to clear or dig out (a channel, drain, etc.) as by the force of water, by removing debris, etc.

4. to purge thoroughly, as an animal.

5. to clear or rid of what is undesirable.

   to scour the nation of spies.

6. to remove by or as if by cleansing; get rid of.

7. to clean or rid of debris, impurities, etc., by or as if by washing, as cotton or wool.

8. Metallurgy. (of the contents of a blast furnace) to rub against and corrode (the refractory lining).

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verb (used without object)

1. to rub a surface in order to cleanse or polish it.

2. to remove dirt, grease, etc.

3. to become clean and shiny.

4. to be capable of being cleaned by rubbing.

   The roasting pan scours easily.

5. (of a plow, cultivator, etc.) to pass through the ground without soil clinging to the blade.

6. (of a plow, shovel, etc.) to become polished from use.

noun

1. the act of scouring.

2. the place scoured.

3. an apparatus or material used in scouring; scourer.

   Sand is a good scour.

4. the erosive force of moving water, as in a river or sea.

5. (used with a singular or plural verb) Usually scours. diarrhea in horses and cattle caused by intestinal infection.

scour ² American  

[skou^uhr, skou-er] / skaʊər, ˈskaʊ ər /

verb (used with object)

1. to range over, as in a search.

   They scoured the countryside for the lost child.

   Synonyms:

   ransack, rake, hunt, comb

2. to run or pass quickly over or along.

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verb (used without object)

1. to range about, as in search of something.

2. to move rapidly or energetically.

scour ¹ British  

/ skaʊə /

verb

1. to clean or polish (a surface) by washing and rubbing, as with an abrasive cloth

2. to remove dirt from or have the dirt removed from

3. (tr) to clear (a channel) by the force of water; flush

4. (tr) to remove by or as if by rubbing

5. (intr) (of livestock, esp cattle) to have diarrhoea

6. (tr) to cause (livestock) to purge their bowels

7. (tr) to wash (wool) to remove wax, suint, and other impurities

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noun

1. the act of scouring

2. the place scoured, esp by running water

3. something that scours, such as a cleansing agent

4. (often plural) prolonged diarrhoea in livestock, esp cattle

scour ² British  

/ skaʊə /

verb

1. to range over (territory), as in making a search

2. to move swiftly or energetically over (territory)

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Other Word Forms

• scourer noun

Etymology

Origin of scour¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English verb scoure(n), score(n), from Middle Dutch sc(h)ūren, Middle Low German schüren, from Old French escurer (compare Medieval Latin escūrāre ), from Latin excūrāre “to take good care of,” equivalent to ex- ¹ + cūrāre “to care for”; cure ( def. )

Origin of scour²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English scouren, scure; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old Norse skūr “storm, shower, shower of missles”; perhaps from Old French ecsour(r)e, escorir “to rush out or forth,” from Latin excurrere

Explanation

If you're going to scour those dishes, you'll need a sponge and some strong soap. To scour also means to examine something very, very closely. Looking for a job? Scour those classified ads! When you scour something with your eyes, you examine or search it very closely. If you can't find the math homework you finished on Saturday, you'll have to spend some time on Sunday scouring your room until you find it. When you scour something with your hands, you scrub it very hard — often with a brush or pad — until the surface is spotless. For example, to remove the graffiti from the wall outside the restaurant, you'll have to scour it by hand, probably for hours.

Example Sentences

The University of Plymouth's Cosmic Dust in the City project aims to "inspire curiosity" and encourage people to scour gutters and rooftops safely in the quest for micrometeorites.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Caught in the middle is American mining company KoBold Metals, which uses AI to scour for copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

With the phones barely functioning in Iran, a dedicated team based at AFP's Paris headquarters has been using their contacts to speak to Iranians who have left the country and scour social media.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

But many viewers interpreted the spot not as a feel-good story about pets but as a peek into a world where your doorbell camera can be used to scour video across neighborhoods and beyond.

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026

It takes me about twice as long to walk there now, so I leave early to give myself time to scour the sidewalks as thoroughly as possible.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• comb
• ransack
• rummage