scourge

[ skurj ]

noun

1. a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.
2. a person or thing that applies or administers punishment or severe criticism.
3. a cause of affliction or calamity:

   Disease and famine are scourges of humanity.

   Synonyms: bane, plague

verb (used with object)

, scourged, scourg·ing.

1. to whip with a scourge; lash.
2. to punish, chastise, or criticize severely.

   Synonyms: castigate, correct

scourge

/ skɜːdʒ /

noun

1. a person who harasses, punishes, or causes destruction
2. a means of inflicting punishment or suffering
3. a whip used for inflicting punishment or torture

verb

1. to whip; flog
2. to punish severely

Derived Forms

• ˈscourger, noun

Other Words From

• scourger noun
• scourging·ly adverb
• self-scourging adjective
• un·scourged adjective
• un·scourging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scourge¹

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French escorge, derivative of escorgier to whip < Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre, derivative of Latin corrigia thong, whip ( ex- ¹ ); (v.) Middle English < Old French escorgier

Word History and Origins

Origin of scourge¹

C13: from Anglo-French escorge, from Old French escorgier (unattested) to lash, from es- ex- ¹+ Latin corrigia whip

Example Sentences

By 1900, smallpox was no longer quite as much of a scourge in the world’s richest countries.

From Vox

Researchers have known all along that vaccines can rapidly turn infectious diseases from scourges to bad memories.

From MIT Technology Review

Opponents of the industry say vacation rentals are the scourge of San Diego, destroying neighborhoods and taking away housing stock.

From Voice of San Diego

He’d lost a close friend to the scourge—that friend had gone to the hospital for routine surgery and died of a superbug he’d acquired while there.

From Fortune

Tuberculosis has been a scourge, but fewer than 10% of people infected with it even get sick.

From Quanta Magazine

The U.K. tabloids, as is their wont, have branded her “shameless,” “sordid,” and “the scourge of society.”

From The Daily Beast

After Ferguson, we all must renew our efforts to eliminate the scourge of racism from American life.

From The Daily Beast

Another huge impetus behind the movement to legalize sex work is the current focus on ending the scourge of sex trafficking.

From The Daily Beast

Settling over wilderness areas everywhere, like a deadly fog, is the scourge of our time: global warming.

From The Daily Beast

The disease remains a global scourge despite rapid advances in providing insecticide nets and spraying homes, mostly with DDT.

From The Daily Beast

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

From Project Gutenberg

The Iffluenza appears to become endemic here, but it has always been a scourge in the islands.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet again, however, was their faith to be sorely tried by the terrible scourge—war.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus he is the scourge of every country he inhabits; and of the appearance of man or his weapons, he is fearless.

From Project Gutenberg

If we compare these prices with those of 1670, we shall see that war had proved here as everywhere a great scourge.

From Project Gutenberg