scourge

[skurj]

noun

a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.
a person or thing that applies or administers punishment or severe criticism.
a cause of affliction or calamity: Disease and famine are scourges of humanity.

verb (used with object), scourged, scourg·ing.

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

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 (see ex-¹); (v.) Middle English < Old French escorgier

Related formsscourg·er, nounscourg·ing·ly, adverbself-scourg·ing, adjectiveun·scourged, adjectiveun·scourg·ing, adjective

Synonyms for scourge

3. plague, bane. 5. correct, castigate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for scourger

Historical Examples of scourger

There shall be given for a remedy the city of Claudius, which shall interpose the nurse of the scourger.
Old English Chronicles
Various
The convict “scourger” was one of the regular officials attached to every chain gang.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 2
Various
The sentence of the court was carried out by a scourger, sometimes called flagellator, or flogger.
The Book of the Bush
George Dunderdale
Being transported to this country, he was employed as a scourger, and thus trained to cruelty, entered the bush.
The History of Tasmania , Volume II (of 2)
John West
If the scourger won't do his duty, tie him up, and give him five-and-twenty for himself.
For the Term of His Natural Life
Marcus Clarke

British Dictionary definitions for scourger

scourge

noun

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

verb (tr)

to whip; flog
to punish severely

Derived Formsscourger, noun

Word Origin for scourge

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for scourger

scourge

c.1200, "a whip, lash," from Anglo-French escorge, back-formation from Old French escorgier "to whip," from Vulgar Latin *excorrigiare, from Latin ex- "out, off" (see ex-) + corrigia "thong, shoelace," in this case "whip," probably from a Gaulish word related to Old Irish cuimrech "fetter," from PIE root *reig- "to bind" (see rig (v.)). Figurative use from late 14c. Scourge of God, title given by later generations to Attila the Hun (406-453 C.E.), is attested from late 14c., from Latin flagellum Dei.

scourge

c.1300, "to whip," from Old French escorgier and from scourge (n.). Figurative meaning "to afflict" (often for the sake of punishment or purification) is from late 14c. Related: Scourged; scourging.