SCOUR

scour. Scour, v. to clean by rubbing, cleanse, purge, pass over swiftly, scamper, run fast, rove, rake

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Scour (skour), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scoured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scouring.] [[Akin to LG. schüren, D. schuren, schueren, G. scheuern, Dan. skure; Sw. skura; all possibly fr. LL. escurare, fr. L. ex + curare to take care. Cf. Cure.]] 1. 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. 2. To purge; as, to scour a horse.
3. 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.
stain my favors in a bloody mask, Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it. Shak. 4. 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.