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scouring |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Scour \Scour\ (skour), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Scoured}; p. pr & vb n. {Scouring}.] [Akin to LG sch["u]ren, D. schuren schueren G. scheuern Dan. skure; Sw skura; all possibly fr LL escurare fr L. ex + curare to take care Cf {Cure}.] 1. To rub hard with something rough, as sand or Bristol brick, especially for the purpose of cleaning; to clean by friction; to make clean or bright; to cleanse from grease, dirt, etc., as articles of dress. 2. To purge; as to scour a horse. 3. To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off to carry away or remove, as by a current of water; -- often with off or away [I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, Which washed away shall scour my shame with it --Shak. 4. [Perhaps a different word cf OF escorre escourre It scorrere both fr L. excurrere to run forth. Cf {Excursion}.] To pass swiftly over to brush along to traverse or search thoroughly; as to scour the coast. Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain. --Pope. {Scouring barrel}, a tumbling barrel. See under {Tumbling}. {Scouring cinder} (Metal.), a basic slag, which attacks the lining of a shaft furnace. --Raymond. {Scouring rush}. (Bot.) See {Dutch rush}, under {Dutch}. {Scouring stock} (Woolen Manuf.), a kind of fulling mill. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: scouring n 1: moving over territory to search for something "scouring the entire area revealed nothing" 2: the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water [syn: {scrub}, {scrubbing}]
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