noun / verb
scourge
SKURJ/skɜːrdʒ/
A cause of severe suffering or punishment, or the act of inflicting it.
The locust swarm is a scourge that strips the crops of leaves.
Etymology
A “thong,” with a possibly intensive prefix, became a whip used for punishment. The name then extended to a punishing affliction or to a person or thing that causes great suffering or destruction.
In context
Hate crime has long been a scourge on Scottish society and we all have a responsibility to challenge it.
More examples
- Doctors work to end the scourge of malaria.
- Drought scourges the region, leaving families without reliable food supplies.
- Years of war have scourged the country's rural communities.
Forms
scourge · scourges · scourged · scourging