# scour

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈskaʊə/ · frequency rank #30,216

## Definitions
1. To clean, polish, or wash (something) by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent.
2. To remove debris and dirt (from something) by purging; to sweep along or off by a current of water.
3. To clear the digestive tract (of an animal) by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge.
4. To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery.
5. To cleanse (something) without rubbing.

## Etymology
From Middle English scǒuren (“to polish, scour; to clean; to beat, whip”), from Middle Dutch scuren, schuren (“to clean; to polish”) or Middle Low German schǖren, of uncertain origin but probably from Old French escurer, from Medieval Latin scūrō, escūrō, excūrō (“to clean off”), from ex- (“thoroughly”) + cūrō (“to arrange, see to, take care of”), from cūra (“care, concern”) (from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeys- (“to heed”)) + -ō.
The word is cognate with Danish skure, Middle High German schüren, schiuren (modern German scheuern (“to scour, scrub; to chafe”)), Norwegian skura (“to scrub”), Swedish skura, Catalan escurar.

## Easily confused with
- **sou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-sou)
- **sor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-sor)
- **soul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-soul)
- **soup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-soup)
- **sour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-sour)
- **scum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-scum)
- **spur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-spur)
- **soar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-soar)
- **slur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-slur)
- **sous** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-sous)
- **shout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-shout)
- **scout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-scout)
- **Seoul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-seoul)
- **scrub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-scrub)
- **stout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-stout)
- **Sioux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-sioux)
- **scrum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-scrum)
- **spout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-spout)
- **snout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-snout)
- **scouts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scour-vs-scouts)

## Common misspellings (7)
`csour`, `sccour`, `scoru`, `scourr`, `scuor`, `socur`, `sscour`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/scour