WordWeb Online

1. A whip used to inflict punishment
   - flagellum
    
2. Something causing misery or death
   "the scourge of my life";
   - bane, curse, nemesis
    
3. A person who inspires fear or dread
   "he was the scourge of the neighbourhood";
   - terror, threat

1. Punish severely; excoriate
    
2. Whip
   "The religious fanatics scourged themselves";
   - flagellate
    
3. Cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
   - lay waste to, waste, devastate, desolate, ravage, lay waste

Derived forms: scourged, scourges, scourging

Type of: affliction, destroy, flog, individual, lash, lather, mortal, penalise [Brit], penalize, person, punish, ruin, sanction, slash, somebody, someone, soul, strap, trounce, welt, whale [N. Amer, informal], whip

Encyclopedia: Scourge