scour Definition

scour¹
verb scoured, scouring

1. To clean, polish or remove by hard rubbing.

Thesaurus: scrub, clean, cleanse, wash, rub, abrade, buff, burnish, polish, furbish.
2. To free from dirt or grease.
3. To flush clean with a jet or current of water.
4. To wash (sheep wool) in order to remove grease and impurities.
intr
5. In animals: to act as a purgative.

noun

1. An act of scouring.
2. In animal livestock: diarrhoea.

Form: scours (often)

Derivative: scouring
noun

Derivative: scourings
plural noun

Matter accumulated as a result of scouring.

Etymology: 13c: from French escurer, from Latin excurare to cleanse.

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scour²
verb scoured, scouring

1. To make an exhaustive search of (an area).

Thesaurus: search, probe, scrutinize, comb, forage, ransack.
2. To range over or move quickly over (an area).

Derivative: scourer

Someone who scours.

A device or container for scouring.

Etymology: 14c: from Norse skur storm, shower.