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Webster 1913 Edition


Scourge

Scourge

,
Noun.
[F.
escourgée
, fr. L.
excoriata
(sc.
scutica
) a stripped off (lash or whip), fr.
excoriare
to strip, to skin. See
Excoriate
.]
1.
A lash; a strap or cord; especially, a lash used to inflict pain or punishment; an instrument of punishment or discipline; a whip.
Up to coach then goes
The observed maid, takes both the
scourge
and reins.
Chapman.
2.
Hence, a means of inflicting punishment, vengeance, or suffering; an infliction of affliction; a punishment.
Sharp
scourges
of adversity.
Chaucer.
What
scourge
for perjury
Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?
Shakespeare

Scourge

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Scourged
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Scourging
.]
[From
Scourge
,
Noun.
: cf. OF.
escorgier
.]
1.
To whip severely; to lash.
Is it lawful for you to
scourge
a . . . Roman?
Acts xxii. 25.
2.
To punish with severity; to chastise; to afflict, as for sins or faults, and with the purpose of correction.
Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth.
Heb. xii. 6.
3.
To harass or afflict severely.
To
scourge
and impoverish the people.
Brougham.

Webster 1828 Edition


Scourge

SCOURGE

,
Noun.
skurj. [L. corriggia, from corrigo, to straighten.]
1.
To whip; a lash consisting of a strap or cord; an instrument of punishment or discipline.
A scourge of small cords. John 2.
2.
A punishment; vindictive affliction.
Famine and plague are sent as scourges for amendment.
3.
He or that which greatly afflicts, harasses or destroys; particularly, any continued evil or calamity. Attila was called the scourge of God, for the miseries he inflicted in his conquests. Slavery is a terrible scourge.
4.
A whip for a top.

SCOURGE

,
Verb.
T.
skurj.
1.
To whip severely; to lash.
It is lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman?
Acts 22.
2.
To punish with severity; to chastise; to afflict for sins or faults, and with the purpose of correction.
He will scourge us for our iniquities, and will have mercy again.
Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb. 12.
3.
To afflict greatly; to harass, torment or injure.

Definition 2024


scourge

scourge

English

Noun

scourge (countable and uncountable, plural scourges)

  1. (uncountable) A source of persistent trouble such as pestilence that causes pain and suffering or widespread destruction.
    Graffiti is the scourge of building owners everywhere.
  2. A means to inflict such pain or destruction.
    • Shakespeare
      What scourge for perjury / Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?
    • 2013 June 1, “Towards the end of poverty”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 11:
      America’s poverty line is $63 a day for a family of four. In the richer parts of the emerging world $4 a day is the poverty barrier. But poverty’s scourge is fiercest below $1.25 ([]): people below that level live lives that are poor, nasty, brutish and short.
  3. A whip, often of leather.
    He flogged him with a scourge.
    • Chapman
      Up to coach then goes / The observed maid, takes both the scourge and reins.

Translations

Verb

scourge (third-person singular simple present scourges, present participle scourging, simple past and past participle scourged)

  1. To strike with a scourge, to flog.

Translations

See also