purge

Etymology

From Middle English purgen, from Old French purgier, from Latin purgō (“I make pure, I cleanse”), from purus (“clean, pure”) + agō (“I make, I do”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɝdʒ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɜːdʒ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)dʒ

Noun

purge (plural purges)

1. An act of purging.
2. (medicine) An evacuation of the bowels or a vomiting.
3. A cleansing of pipes.
4. A forcible removal of people, for example, from political activity.

   Stalin liked to ensure that his purges were not reversible.

5. That which purges; especially, a medicine that evacuates the intestines; a cathartic.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Arbuthnot to this entry?)

Verb

purge (third-person singular simple present purges, present participle purging, simple past and past participle purged)

1. (transitive) to clean thoroughly; to cleanse; to rid of impurities
2. (transitive, religion) to free from sin, guilt, or the burden or responsibility of misdeeds
3. (transitive) To remove by cleansing; to wash away.
   • Bible, Psalms lxxix. 9

     Purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

   • Addison

     We'll join our cares to purge away / Our country's crimes.

4. (transitive, medicine) to void (the bowels); to vomit.
5. (transitive, medicine) To operate on (somebody) as a cathartic, or in a similar manner.
6. (transitive, law) to clear of a charge, suspicion, or imputation
7. (transitive) To clarify; to clear the dregs from (liquor).
8. (intransitive) To become pure, as by clarification.
9. (intransitive) To have or produce frequent evacuations from the intestines, as by means of a cathartic.

Anagrams

• Grupe, repug

Verb

purge

1. first-person singular present indicative of purger
2. third-person singular present indicative of purger
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of purger
4. first-person singular present subjunctive of purger
5. second-person singular imperative of purger

Noun

purge f (plural purges)

1. (Jersey) purgative