scourge

American  

[skurj] / skɜrdʒ /

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

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verb (used with object)

scourged, scourging

1. to whip with a scourge; lash.

2. to punish, chastise, or criticize severely.

   Synonyms:

   castigate , correct

scourge British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to whip; flog

2. to punish severely

Other Word Forms

• scourger noun
• scourgingly adverb
• self-scourging adjective
• unscourged adjective
• unscourging adjective

Etymology

Origin of scourge

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

Example Sentences

Deadly fires were once a regular scourge in densely populated Hong Kong, especially in poorer neighbourhoods, but improved safety measures have made them far less common.

From Barron's

Deadly fires were once a a regular scourge in densely populated Hong Kong, especially in poorer neighbourhoods.

From Barron's

Once they saw off Everton's early bluster, there was only going to be one winner in this contest and it was old nemesis Wilson who proved the scourge of Sean Dyche's side again.

From BBC

Ms Ardern delivered the commencement address for Harvard in 2022, where she spoke out against the online "scourge of disinformation" and earned a standing ovation for her government's gun control policies.

From BBC

I feel bad now for the city and town mayors, who are struggling to get a grip on this scourge.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• curse
• pest
• terror