Scourge (original) (raw)
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)
Synonyms:
flagellum; scourge
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("scourge" is a kind of...):
whip (an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping)
Derivation:
scourge (whip)
scourge (punish severely; excoriate)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A person who inspires fear or dread
Example:
he was the terror of the neighborhood
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("scourge" is a kind of...):
individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Something causing misery or death
Example:
the bane of my life
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("scourge" is a kind of...):
affliction (a cause of great suffering and distress)
Derivation:
scourge (cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
Example:
The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion
Synonyms:
desolate; devastate; lay waste to; ravage; scourge; waste
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "scourge" is one way to...):
destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scourge"):
ruin (reduce to ruins)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
scourge (something causing misery or death)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Whip
Example:
The religious fanatics flagellated themselves
Synonyms:
flagellate; scourge
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "scourge" is one way to...):
flog; lash; lather; slash; strap; trounce; welt; whip (beat severely with a whip or rod)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
scourge (a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor))
scourger (a torturer who flogs or scourges (especially an official whose duty is to whip offenders))
Sense 3
Meaning:
Punish severely; excoriate
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "scourge" is one way to...):
penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
scourge (a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor))
scourger (a torturer who flogs or scourges (especially an official whose duty is to whip offenders))
Context examples:
This chanced to come to Simon's ears when we were at Bordeaux together, and he would have it that we should ride to Cardillac with a good hempen cord, and give this Gourval such a scourging as he merited.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
As it stands, not one farthing shall you have with my free will, and when I see my brother, the Socman of Minstead, he will raise hue and cry from vill to vill, from hundred to hundred, until you are taken as a common robber and a scourge to the country.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)