[scour] vb [ME, prob. fr. MD schuren, fr. OF escurer, fr. LL excurare to clean off, fr. L, to take good care of, fr. ex- + curare to care for, fr. cura care] vt (13c) 1 a: to rub hard esp. with a rough material for cleansing b: to remove by rubbing hard and washing
2. archaic: to clear (a region) of enemies or outlaws
3: to clean by purging: purge
4: to remove dirt and debris from (as a pipe or ditch)
5: to free from foreign matter or impurities by or as if by washing "~ wool"
6: to clear, dig, or remove by or as if by a powerful current of water ~ vi 1: to perform a process of scouring
2: to suffer from diarrhea or dysentery
3: to become clean and bright by rubbing -- scour.er n
[2]scour n (1681) 1: a place scoured by running water
2: scouring action (as of a glacier)
3: diarrhea, dysentery--usu. used in pl. but sing. or pl. in constr.
4: scouring 1; also: damage done by scouring action [3]scour vb [ME scuren, prob. of Scand origin; akin to Sw skura to rush] vi (14c): to move about quickly esp. in search ~ vt: to go through or range over in or as if in a search