n.
Pronunciation: ' p ə rj
Function: verb
Inflected Form: purged ; purg · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French purger, from Latin purigare, purgare to purify, purge, from purus pure + -igare (akin to agere to drive, do) ― more at ACT
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to clear of guilt b : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
2 a : to cause evacuation from (as the bowels) b (1) : to make free of something unwanted < purge a manhole of gas> < purge yourself of fear> (2) : to free (as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding c (1) : to rid (as a nation or party) by a purge (2) : to get rid of <the leaders had been purged >
intransitive verb
1 : to become purged
2 : to have or produce frequent evacuations
3 : to cause purgation
– purg · er noun