scour

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈskaʊɚ/ UK /ˈskaʊə/ See IPA manual

Freq #25780

Meanings

1

verb
to search a place, text, or collection thoroughly and energetically

Volunteers scoured the woods for the missing hiker.
2

verb
to clean a surface by rubbing it hard with a rough material

Use the stiff brush to scour the burnt pan.
3

verb
to clear away or erode material by a strong flow of water, ice, or air

Floodwater can scour soil from around the bridge supports.
4

noun
a hollow or channel produced by powerful flowing water or glacial action

Engineers measured the scour beneath the bridge after the storm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to search a place, text, or... search comb ransack

2 verb · to clean a surface by... scrub abrade

3 verb · to clear away or erode... erodewash away

4 noun · a hollow or channel... erosion hollow

Opposites

overlook soil

Word family

Forms scouredscouring

Derived forms scourerscouring

Related forms scrub search erosion

Etymology

Two Middle English verbs converged in this spelling. The cleaning verb came through Middle Dutch and Old French escurer from Late Latin excurare 'clean off.' The rapid-ranging and searching verb may derive from Old Norse skur 'shower' or a related word for rushing movement. The water-erosion sense extends vigorous cleaning or wearing away.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# scour

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈskaʊɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈskaʊə/
**Frequency rank:** 25780

## Meanings
1. to search a place, text, or collection thoroughly and energetically
2. to clean a surface by rubbing it hard with a rough material
3. to clear away or erode material by a strong flow of water, ice, or air
4. a hollow or channel produced by powerful flowing water or glacial action

## Examples
- Volunteers scoured the woods for the missing hiker.
- Use the stiff brush to scour the burnt pan.
- Floodwater can scour soil from around the bridge supports.
- Engineers measured the scour beneath the bridge after the storm.

## Synonyms
- search
- comb
- scrub
- abrade
- erode

## Antonyms
- overlook
- soil

## Derived Forms
- scourer
- scouring

## Related Forms
- scrub
- search
- erosion

## Etymology
Two Middle English verbs converged in this spelling. The cleaning verb came through Middle Dutch and Old French escurer from Late Latin excurare 'clean off.' The rapid-ranging and searching verb may derive from Old Norse skur 'shower' or a related word for rushing movement. The water-erosion sense extends vigorous cleaning or wearing away.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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