Scoured
/skaʊərd/
verbB2past tense
Definition
To scour means to clean something by rubbing hard, often to remove dirt or stains. It can also mean to search a place very carefully and completely to find someone or something.
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⚡ See It in Action
To clean something very carefully by rubbing hard
- •She scoured the kitchen sink until it was shiny.
- •The workers scoured the floors to remove all the stains.
- •He scoured the old coins to make them look new.
To search a place completely and carefully
- •The police scoured the area for evidence.
- •We scoured the beach looking for shells.
- •They scoured the house to find the missing documents.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'scoured' like 'cleaned,' but much stronger and more careful—like you scrub every part until very clean
- ✓Picture someone using a rough sponge or brush to rub a dirty pot until shiny
- ✓It's the feeling when you look everywhere for your lost keys, checking every corner carefully
- ✓Sounds like 'scour' → imagine a shower of water and scrubbing to wash away dirt
- ✓In stories, detectives scour a room to find clues, looking at every small detail
- ✓NOT like 'washed' (just water and soap), 'scoured' means rubbing hard and cleaning deeply
- ✓NOT like 'searched' lightly, scouring means a very thorough and complete search
- ✓NOT like 'swept' (quick cleaning), scouring is slow and detailed cleaning or searching
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Scrubbed: cleaned by rubbing hard (Use when focusing on the physical action of rubbing)
- •Searched: looked carefully for something (Use when focusing on finding something, not cleaning)
- •Washed: cleaned with water and soap (Use for general cleaning, less strong than scoured)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'scour' (root) + '-ed' (past tense ending)
- •Etymology: From Old French 'escourer,' meaning to clean or remove dirt by rubbing
- •Historical development: Used since Middle Ages to describe strong cleaning or searching actions
- •Modern usage: Used for both strong cleaning and careful searching in everyday language
- •Key insight: The word shows strong effort, either in cleaning or searching
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When have you had to scour a place or object? How did it feel to do such careful work?
•Can scouring be useful in situations beyond cleaning? How might it help in problem-solving or finding information?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She scoured the kitchen sink ___ to remove every bit of dirt and grime.
2.The detectives scoured the crime scene ___ for any small clues.
3.Unlike quick cleaning, scoured means you rub or search ___ and carefully.
4.When you have lost something important, you might need to scour the whole ___.
5.They scoured the old bookshelves ___ to find the rare book.
6.Scoured often pairs with words like 'thoroughly,' 'carefully,' or 'completely' to show the ___ of the action.
7.After scouring the area, they finally ___ the missing child safe and sound.