Scouring

Scour Scour (skour), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Scoured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scouring}.] [Akin to LG. sch["u]ren, D. schuren, schueren, G. scheuern, Dan. skure; Sw. skura; all possibly fr. LL. escurare, fr. L. ex + curare to take care. Cf. {Cure}.] 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. [1913 Webster]

2. To purge; as, to scour a horse. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

[I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

5. To cleanse or clear, as by a current of water; to flush.

If my neighbor ought to scour a ditch. --Blackstone. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{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. [1913 Webster]