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   scourge

   /skəːdʒ/

   noun

   • 1. a whip used as an instrument of punishment. historical Similar whiphorsewhiplashstrapbirchswitchflailbullwhiprawhidehistorical:cat-o'-nine-tailsknoutrare:flagellumquirtblacksnake
   • 2. a person or thing that causes great trouble or suffering: "the scourge of mass unemployment" Similar afflictionbanecurseplaguemenaceevilmisfortuneburdencross to bearthorn in one's flesh/sidebitter pilltrialnuisancepesttormenttorturemiserysufferingblightcancercankerpunishmentpenaltyvisitationOpposite blessinggodsend

   verb

   • 1. whip (someone) as a punishment: historical "our people did scourge him severely" Similar flogwhipbeathorsewhiplashflagellateflailstrapbirchcanethrashbeltleatherbullwhipinformal:give someone a hidingtan someone's hidelathertake a strap tobeat the living daylights out ofwhalearchaic:switchstripethongrare:quirt
   • 2. cause great suffering to: "political methods used to scourge and oppress workers" Similar afflictplaguetormenttorturecursecause suffering tooppressburdenbedevilbesetdevastatepunish

   Word Origin Middle English: shortening of Old French escorge (noun), escorgier (verb), from Latin ex- ‘thoroughly’ + corrigia ‘thong, whip’.

   Scrabble Points: 10

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