n. & v.
n. 1 a whip used for punishment, esp. of people. 2 a person or thing seen as punishing, esp. on a large scale (the scourge of famine; Genghis Khan, the scourge of Asia).
v.tr. 1 whip. 2 punish; afflict; oppress. scourger n.
[ ME f. OF escorge (n.), escorgier (v.) (ult. as EX-(1), L corrigia thong, whip) ]