Word
scouring
Phoneticsscour·ing
US/ˈskaʊɝɪŋ/
UK/skˈaʊəɹɪŋ/
Definition
n. the act of cleaning something very thoroughly, often using a hard brush or a rough cloth. It can also mean a very difficult or painful experience.
n. the act of cleaning or rubbing something vigorously to remove dirt or stains; alternatively, a severe or exhaustive examination. Often used in the context of historical or literary descriptions of harsh labor.
Examples
“The scouring of the silver plates took several hours.”
“The historian spent years scouring old archives to find the original documents regarding the treaty.”
“The relentless scouring of the coastline by the winter storms left the once-pristine beach littered with debris and eroded rock.”
Examples
simple
“The scouring of the silver plates took several hours.”
contextual
“The historian spent years scouring old archives to find the original documents regarding the treaty.”
complex
“The relentless scouring of the coastline by the winter storms left the once-pristine beach littered with debris and eroded rock.”
Real-World Examples
“Circling back to the Premier League, Manchester City have lost one of their key players in Rodri, who signed for Barcelona on Tuesday , which has left them scouring transfer options in midfield.” “After spending hours scouring Ancestry.com, he found a potential relative—Arthur Serota—and sent the name to Joe Heim , a Washington Post reporter following the story.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/scouring