scour

Meanings

1. To clean, polish, or wash (something) by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.
2. To remove debris and dirt (from something) by purging; to sweep along or off by a current of water.
3. To clear the digestive tract (of an animal) by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge.
4. To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery.
5. To cleanse (something) without rubbing.

1. The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
2. A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a waterfall.
3. A place where wool is washed to remove grease and impurities prior to processing.
4. Diarrhoea, in livestock; scouring.

1. To search an area thoroughly.
2. To run with speed; to scurry.
3. To move swiftly over; to brush along.

Etymology

From Middle English scǒuren (“to polish, scour; to clean; to beat, whip”), from Middle Dutch scuren, schuren (“to clean; to polish”) or Middle Low German schǖren, of uncertain origin but probably from Old French escurer, from Medieval Latin scūrō, escūrō, excūrō (“to clean off”), from ex- (“thoroughly”) + cūrō (“to arrange, see to, take care of”), from cūra (“care, concern”) (from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeys- (“to heed”)) + -ō. The word is cognate with Danish skure, Middle High German schüren, schiuren (modern German scheuern (“to scour, scrub; to chafe”)), Norwegian skura (“to scrub”), Swedish skura, Catalan escurar.