scour

Meaning

Verb

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. (obsolete) To cleanse (something) without rubbing.

Noun

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.

Concepts

scour

scrub

rub

clean

wash

scrape

abrade

cleanse

wipe

purge

polish

flush

brush

grind

search

brush off

clean off

hunt

wash away

rub against

rummage

wring

wash out

rub vigorously

scratch

chafe

comb

applaud

bang

beat

break

clap

coin

cream

duel

fan

fight

fly

hammer

hit

palpitate

pound

retreat

scramble

scuffle

slam

strike

throb

thrash

thresh

wallop

whip

foment

hone

sharpen

go round

patrol

graze

bathe

launder

wash clothes

seek

rasp

dredge

remove

washing

wash-out

erosion

wash off

file

smooth by rubbing

annoint

anoint

consecrate

rub on

smear

cleaning

clearance

absterge

clarify

clear

clear out

defecate

finish up

flux

net

purify

rarefy

scavenge

swill

rubber

rubbing

decorticatie

exuviate

husk

peel

peel-back

eviscerate

turn inside out

bite

fray

fret

rosin

hush

pan

pan off

pan out

rinse

sluice

wash down

wash up

scan

scrutinise

scrutinize

career

channel

groove

rebate

rut

slot

track

strip

search thoroughly

free

wash over

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈskaʊə/

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- (“prefix meaning ‘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.