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.
Derivatives:
scourger n.
Etymology: ME f. OF escorge (n.), escorgier (v.) (ult. as EX-(1), L corrigia thong, whip)