1. v. & n.
--v.tr.
1. a cleanse or brighten by rubbing, esp. with soap, chemicals, sand, etc. b (usu. foll. by away, off, etc.) clear (rust, stains, reputation, etc.) by rubbing, hard work, etc. (scoured the slur from his name).
2 (of water, or a person with water) clear out (a pipe, channel, etc.) by flushing through.
3 hist. purge (the bowels) drastically.
--n.
1. the act or an instance of scouring; the state of being scoured, esp. by a swift water current (the scour of the tide).
2 diarrhoea in cattle.
3 a substance used for scouring.
Phrases and idioms:
scouring-rush any of various horsetail plants with a rough siliceous coating used for polishing wood etc.
Derivatives:
scourer n.
Etymology: ME f. MDu., MLG schuren f. F escurer f. LL excurare clean (off) (as EX-(1), CURE) 2. v.
1. tr. hasten over (an area etc.) searching thoroughly (scoured the streets for him; scoured the pages of the newspaper).
2 intr. range hastily esp. in search or pursuit.
Etymology: ME: orig. unkn.