scourge

[ skurj ]
/ skɜrdʒ /

noun

a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.
a person or thing that applies or administers punishment or severe criticism.
a cause of affliction or calamity: Disease and famine are scourges of humanity.

verb (used with object), scourged, scourg·ing.

to whip with a scourge; lash.
to punish, chastise, or criticize severely.

Origin of scourge

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French escorge, derivative of escorgier to whip < Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre, derivative of Latin corrigia thong, whip (see ex-1); (v.) Middle English < Old French escorgier

OTHER WORDS FROM scourge

Example sentences from the Web for scourge

British Dictionary definitions for scourge

scourge
/ (skɜːdʒ) /

noun

a person who harasses, punishes, or causes destruction
a means of inflicting punishment or suffering
a whip used for inflicting punishment or torture

verb (tr)

to whip; flog
to punish severely

Derived forms of scourge

scourger, noun

Word Origin for scourge

C13: from Anglo-French escorge, from Old French escorgier (unattested) to lash, from es- ex- 1 + Latin corrigia whip