scourge

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. n. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
3. n. A whip used to inflict punishment.
4. v. To afflict with severe or widespread suffering and devastation; ravage.
5. v. To chastise severely; excoriate.
6. v. To flog.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A whip for the infliction of pain or punishment; a lash. See flagellum, 1.
2. n. A punishment; a punitive affliction; any means of inflicting punishment. vengeance, or suffering.
3. n. One who or that which greatly afflicts, harasses, or destroys.
4. To whip with a scourge; lash; apply the scourge to.
5. To punish with severity; chastise or correct; afflict for sins or faults, and for the purpose of correction.
6. To afflict greatly; harass; torment.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable A persistent pest, illness, or source of trouble, (figurative) cause of suffering to people.
2. n. A whip often of leather.
3. v. To strike with a scourge.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A lash; a strap or cord; especially, a lash used to inflict pain or punishment; an instrument of punishment or discipline; a whip.
2. n. Hence, a means of inflicting punishment, vengeance, or suffering; an infliction of affliction; a punishment.
3. v. To whip severely; to lash.
4. v. To punish with severity; to chastise; to afflict, as for sins or faults, and with the purpose of correction.
5. v. To harass or afflict severely.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
2. v. punish severely; excoriate.
3. n. something causing misery or death
4. v. whip.
5. n. a person who inspires fear or dread
6. n. a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)