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Webster 1913 Edition

Scour

Scour

(skour)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Scoured
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Scouring
.]
[Akin to LG.
schüren
, D.
schuren
,
schueren
, G.
scheuern
, Dan.
skure
; Sw.
skura
; all possibly fr. LL.
escurare
, fr. L.
ex
+
curare
to take care. Cf.
Cure
.]
1.
To rub hard with something rough, as sand or Bristol brick, especially for the purpose of cleaning; to clean by friction; to make clean or bright; to cleanse from grease, dirt, etc., as articles of dress.
2.
To purge;
as, to
scour
a horse
.
3.
To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off; to carry away or remove, as by a current of water; – often with off or away.
[I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask,
Which, washed away, shall
scour
my shame with it.
Shakespeare
4.
[Perhaps a different word; cf. OF.
escorre
,
escourre
, It.
scorrere
, both fr. L.
excurrere
to run forth. Cf.
Excursion
.]
To pass swiftly over; to brush along; to traverse or search thoroughly;
as, to
scour
the coast
.
Not so when swift Camilla
scours
the plain.
Pope.
Scouring barrel
,
a tumbling barrel. See under
Tumbling
.
–
Scouring cinder
(Metal.)
,
a basic slag, which attacks the lining of a shaft furnace.
Raymond.
–
Scouring rush
.
(Bot.)
See
Dutch rush
, under
Dutch
.
–
Scouring stock
(Woolen Manuf.)
,
a kind of fulling mill.

Scour

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To clean anything by rubbing.
Shak.
2.
To cleanse anything.
Warm water is softer than cold, for it
scoureth
better.
Bacon.
3.
To be purged freely; to have a diarrhoea.
4.
To run swiftly; to rove or range in pursuit or search of something; to scamper.
So four fierce coursers, starting to the race,
Scour
through the plain, and lengthen every pace.
Dryden.

Scour

,
Noun.
1.
Diarrhoea or dysentery among cattle.

Webster 1828 Edition

Scour

SCOUR

, v.t.
1.
To rub hard with something rough, for the purpose of cleaning; as, to scour a kettle; to scour a musket; to scour armor.
2.
To clean by friction; to make clean or bright.
3.
To purge violently.
4.
To remove by scouring.
Never came reformation in a flood with such a heady current, scouring faults.
5.
To range about for taking all that can be found; as, to scour the sea of pirates.
6.
To pass swiftly over; to brush along; as, to scour the coast.
Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain.

SCOUR

, v.i.
1.
To perform the business of cleaning vessels by rubbing.
2.
To clean.
Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.
3.
To be purged to excess.
4.
To rove or range for sweeping or taking something.
Barbarossa, thus scouring along the coast of Italy -
5.
To run with celerity; to scamper.
So four fierce coursers, starting to the race, scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.

Definition 2024

scour

scour

English

Alternative forms

Verb

scour ‎(third-person singular simple present scours, present participle scouring, simple past and past participle scoured)

  1. To clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.
    He scoured the burner pans to remove the burnt spills.
  2. To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off.
    He scoured the burnt food from the pan.
    • Shakespeare
      [I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, / Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.
  3. To search an area thoroughly.
    They scoured the scene of the crime for clues.
  4. (intransitive, veterinary medicine) Of livestock, to suffer from diarrhea.
    If a lamb is scouring, do not delay treatment.
  5. (transitive, veterinary medicine) To purge.
    to scour a horse
  6. (obsolete) To cleanse.
    • Francis Bacon
      Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

scour ‎(countable and uncountable, plural scours)

  1. The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
    Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the bridge.
  2. A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a fall.
    • Grant Allen
      If you catch the two sole denizens [trout] of a particular scour, you will find another pair installed in their place to-morrow.

Etymology 2

From Middle English scouren, scoren, schouren, from Old Norse skýra ‎(“to rush in”) and Old Norse skúr ‎(“a shower; a shower of missiles”).

Verb

scour ‎(third-person singular simple present scours, present participle scouring, simple past and past participle scoured)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To run with speed; scurry; move swiftly over; to brush along.
    • Alexander Pope
      when swift Camilla scours the plain
    • Dryden
      So four fierce coursers, starting to the race, / Scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.

Etymology

From Middle English scouren, from Middle Dutch scuren, schuren ‎(“to polish, to clean”) (compare Middle Low German schǖren, Middle High German schüren, schiuren (German scheuern), Danish skure, Swedish skura), of uncertain origin. Probably from Old French escurer, from Medieval Latin scuro, escuro, excuro ‎(“clean off”), from Latin ex ‎(“thoroughly”) + curo ‎(“take care of”).

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -aʊə(ɹ)

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