Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCOUR, v.t. [Goth. skauron, to scour; Sax. scur, a scouring; D. schuuren; C. scheuern; Dan. skurer; Sw. skura; Arm. scarhein, scurhein or scurya; Fr. ecurer, to scour; Sp. escurar. See the roots גרר and גרע. Class Gr, No. 5, 8.]

1. To rub hard with something rough, for the purpose of cleaning; as, to scour a kettle; to scour a musket; to scour armor.
2. To clean by friction; to make clean or bright.
3. To purge violently.
4. To remove by scouring. Never came reformation in a flood / With such a heady current, scouring faults. – Shak.
5. To range about for taking all that can be found; as, to scour the sea of pirates.
6. To pass swiftly over; to brush along; as, to scour the coast. – Milton. Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain. – Pope.