scourge
[noun]
Synonyms:
- affliction, bane, curse, infliction, misfortune, pest, plague, terror, torment
- whip, cat, lash, strap, switch, thong
[verb]
Synonyms:
- afflict, curse, plague, terrorize, torment
- whip, beat, cane, flog, horsewhip, lash, thrash

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Related Idioms: whip to ribbons
Related Words: hit, knout, flail, whop

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. scourge¹ /skɜːdʒ $ skɜːrdʒ/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: escorge, from Old French escorgier 'to whip', from Latin corrigia 'long thin piece of leather']

1. something that causes a lot of harm or suffering
scourge of
the scourge of unemployment
the scourge of war

2. a whip used to punish people in the past

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. scourge² verb [transitive]

1. to cause a lot of harm or suffering to a place or group of people

2. to hit someone with a whip as punishment in the past

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲