scourge
[ skurj ]
/ skɜrdʒ /
||
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.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
terror, curse, pest, penalty, misfortune, pestilence, infliction, visitation, correction, bane, affliction, punishment, cane, afflict, scathe, excoriate, torment, castigate, tan, whip
Nearby words
- scotus,
- scoundrel,
- scoundrelly,
- scour,
- scourer,
- scouring pad,
- scouring rush,
- scourings,
- scouse,
- scout
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for scourging
scourge
/ (skɜːdʒ) /
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
Word Origin for scourge
C13: from Anglo-French escorge, from Old French escorgier (unattested) to lash, from es- ex- 1 + Latin corrigia whip
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