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Definition scour

Etymology 1

From Middle English sc?uren (“to polish, scour; to clean; to beat, whip”), from Middle Dutch scuren, schuren (“to clean; to polish”) or Middle Low German sch?ren, of uncertain origin but probably from Old French escurer, from Medieval Latin sc?r?, esc?r?, exc?r? (“to clean off”), from ex- (“prefix meaning ‘thoroughly’”) + c?r? (“to arrange, see to, take care of”), from c?ra (“care, concern”) (from Proto-Indo-European *k?eys- (“to heed”)) + -?.

The word is cognate with Danish skure, Middle High German schüren, schiuren (modern German scheuern (“to scour, scrub; to chafe”)), Norwegian skura (“to scrub”), Swedish skura.

Verb

scour (third-person singular simple present scours, present participle scouring, simple past and past participle scoured)

1. (transitive) To clean, polish, or wash something by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.
2. (transitive) To remove debris and dirt by purging; to sweep along or off (by a current of water).
3. (transitive, veterinary medicine) To clear the digestive tract by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge.
4. (transitive, intransitive, veterinary medicine) To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To cleanse (without rubbing).

Noun

scour (countable and uncountable, plural scours)

1. The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
2. A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a waterfall.
3. A place where wool is washed to remove grease and impurities prior to processing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English sc?uren, scure, skoure (“to move quickly; to travel around in search of enemies”), from sc?ur (“attack, conflict; pang of emotional suffering”), from Old Norse skýra (“to rush in”) and skúr (“a shower; a shower of missiles”), perhaps influenced by the verb sc?uren: see etymology 1.

Verb

scour (third-person singular simple present scours, present participle scouring, simple past and past participle scoured)

1. (transitive) To search an area thoroughly.
2. (transitive, intransitive) To run with speed; to scurry.
3. (transitive, intransitive) To move swiftly over; to brush along.

Results 274 Words with the letters SCOUR

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