scourge

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“
But German physician Robert Koch has discovered that this scourge is an infection, and Austrian physician Clemens von Pirquet has developed a skin test that can detect tuberculosis infection before the ravages of the disease are manifest.

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Definitions (20)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
  2. noun A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
  3. noun A whip used to inflict punishment.
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Examples (50)

  • The numerous orders were enforced without momentary relaxation, and the scourge was the chief agent of control. —  The Project Gutenberg eBook of The History of Tasmania , Volume II (of 2), by John West
  • But German physician Robert Koch has discovered that this scourge is an infection, and Austrian physician Clemens von Pirquet has developed a skin test that can detect tuberculosis infection before the ravages of the disease are manifest. —  Medlogs - Recent stories
  • The attempted seizure of a U.S. ship and the capture of its captain Wednesday off the coast of Somalia - a growing pirate haven since 2007 - is proof that the scourge is a worsening present-day problem.
  • Brandt is now known as the scourge of the Wikipedia Admin community. —  Conservapedia - Recent changes [en]
  • The Anti-Corruption Agency's redoubled efforts to clean up the scourge is also revealing its extent, in a double-edged sword for the administration.
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

plague ·  ravage ·  pestilence ·  epidemic ·  calamity ·  pest ·  malady ·  famine ·  whip ·  outbreak ·  blight ·  contagion

Used in the same contextWord Family

scourge:   scourges
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Anglo-Norman escorge, from Old French escorgier, to whip, from Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre : Latin ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + Latin corrigia, thong (probably of Celtic origin).

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Middle English scourge, scowrge, scorge, scurge, schorge, schurge, from Old French escorge, escurge, = Italian scoreggia, a whip, scourge; cf. the deriv. Old French escorgie, escurgie, escourgee, a whip, scourge, thong, latchet, French escourgée, a scourge; prob. from Latin ex - intensive + corrigia, a thong, latchet for a shoe, Late Latin rein, from corrigere, make straight: see correct. In this view the Old Italian scoriata, scoriada, scuriata, scuriada, Italian scoriada, a whipping, a whip, scourge, is unrelated, being connected with scoria, a whip, scoriare, whip, literally ‘flay,’ from Latin excoriare, flay: see excoriate.
  2. from Middle English scourgen, scorgen, schorgen, from Old French escorgier, escourgier, escorjier, whip, from escorge, a whip: see scourge, n.
 

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/skərdʒ/
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