scour
scour Lexical Profile
scour Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To subject a place, text, or collection to a thorough and exhaustive search in order to locate something or someone.
"Researchers scoured the historical archives for any mention of the lost expedition."
To clean or brighten the surface of something by rubbing it hard, typically with an abrasive material or detergent.
"She had to scour the cast-iron skillet with coarse salt to remove the baked-on grease."
To erode or form a channel in the ground or rock through the rapid, forceful flow of water or ice.
"Melting glaciers scoured deep valleys through the mountain range thousands of years ago."
• noun
The act of cleaning or polishing something by rubbing it hard, or the erosive action of flowing water on a riverbed or shoreline.
"The engineer inspected the bridge piers for signs of riverbed scour after the spring floods."
Diarrhea or dysentery in livestock, especially young calves, lambs, and piglets (usually used in the plural).
"The veterinarian treated the newborn calves to prevent an outbreak of scours in the barn."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Scour' is a homonym combining two distinct historical roots: one meaning 'to rub hard in order to clean' and the other meaning 'to move rapidly over an area in a thorough search.'
• Rhymes for scour
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense 'to clean by rubbing' comes from Middle English scouren, borrowed from Middle Dutch schuren and Old French escurer, ultimately from Late Latin excurare ('to clean off'). The sense 'to search thoroughly' derives separately from Old French escourre, from Latin excurrere ('to run out').