scour

scour¹

/skoweur, skow"euhr/, v.t.

1. to remove dirt, grease, etc., from or to cleanse or polish by hard rubbing, as with a rough or abrasive material: to scour pots and pans.

2. to remove (dirt, grease, etc.) from something by hard rubbing: to scour grease from pots and pans.

3. to clear or dig out (a channel, drain, etc.) as by the force of water, by removing debris, etc.

4. to purge thoroughly, as an animal.

5. to clear or rid of what is undesirable: to scour the nation of spies.

6. to remove by or as if by cleansing; get rid of.

7. to clean or rid of debris, impurities, etc., by or as if by washing, as cotton or wool.

8. Metall. (of the contents of a blast furnace) to rub against and corrode (the refractory lining).

v.i.

9. to rub a surface in order to cleanse or polish it.

10. to remove dirt, grease, etc.

11. to become clean and shiny.

12. to be capable of being cleaned by rubbing: The roasting pan scours easily.

13. (of a plow, cultivator, etc.) to pass through the ground without soil clinging to the blade.

14. (of a plow, shovel, etc.) to become polished from use.

n.

15. the act of scouring.

16. the place scoured.

17. an apparatus or material used in scouring; scourer: Sand is a good scour.

18. the erosive force of moving water, as in a river or sea.

19. Usually, scours. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) Vet. Pathol. diarrhea in horses and cattle caused by intestinal infection.

[1250-1300; ME scouren (v.) < MD scuren < OF escurer < L excurare to take care of (ML escurare to clean), equiv. to ex- EX-¹ + curare to care for]

Syn. 1. burnish, buff, shine, rub.

scour²

/skoweur, skow"euhr/, v.t.

1. to range over, as in a search: They scoured the countryside for the lost child.

2. to run or pass quickly over or along.

v.i.

3. to range about, as in search of something.

4. to move rapidly or energetically.

[1250-1300; ME scouren; perh. < ON skur SHOWER¹]

Syn. 1. comb, rake, scan.

* * *