a whip or lash, esp. for the infliction of punishment or torture.
2.
a person or thing that applies or administers punishment or severe criticism.
3.
a cause of affliction or calamity: Disease and famine are scourges of humanity.
–verb (used with object)
4.
to whip with a scourge; lash.
5.
to punish, chastise, or criticize severely.
Origin: 1175–1225; (n.) ME < AF escorge, deriv. of escorgier to whip < VL *excorrigiāre, deriv. of L corrigia thong, whip (see ex-1); (v.) ME < OF escorgier
A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
A whip used to inflict punishment.
tr.v.
scourged, scourg·ing, scourg·es
To afflict with severe or widespread suffering and devastation; ravage.
To chastise severely; excoriate.
To flog.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman escorge, from Old French escorgier, to whip, from Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre : Latin ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + Latin corrigia, thong (probably of Celtic origin).] scourg'er n.
[skurj] 
noun, verb, scourged, scourg⋅ing.