Scour

Quick meaning: Scour is a verb meaning (transitive) To clean, polish, or wash (something) by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.

Meaning

(transitive) To clean, polish, or wash (something) by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To remove debris and dirt (from something) by purging; to sweep along or off by a current of water.
2. (ambitransitive, veterinary medicine) To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery.
3. (ambitransitive, obsolete) To cleanse (something) without rubbing.
4. The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
5. A place scoured out by running water, as in the bed of a stream below a waterfall.
6. A place where wool is washed to remove grease and impurities prior to processing.
7. (transitive, veterinary medicine) To clear the digestive tract (of an animal) by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge.

Example Sentences

to scour a horse

He scoured the burnt food from the pan.

They all looked directly at the ſcullion,—the ſcullion had juſt been ſcouring a fiſh-kettle.

There were the tawny rocks, like lions couchant, defying the ocean, whose waves incessantly dashed against and scoured them with vast quantities of gravel.

Word Forms

• scours
• scouring
• scoured
• scower

Synonyms for scour

Depending on context, synonyms include flush, abrade, scrub.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include abrade, scrub, flush, burnish, rake, erosional.

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