Purge

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Purge, v. t. [F. purger, L. purgare; purus pure + agere to make, to do. See Pure, and Agent.].

•  To cleanse, clear, or purify by separating and carrying off whatever is impure, heterogeneous, foreign, or superfluous.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To operate on as, or by means of, a cathartic medicine, or in a similar manner.  [1913 Webster]
•  To clarify; to defecate, as liquors.  [1913 Webster]
•  To clear of sediment, as a boiler, or of air, as a steam pipe, by driving off or permitting escape.  [1913 Webster]
•  To clear from guilt, or from moral or ceremonial defilement; as, to purge one of guilt or crime.  [1913 Webster]

  "When that he hath purged you from sin."  [1913 Webster]

  "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean."  [1913 Webster]
•  To clear from accusation, or the charge of a crime or misdemeanor, as by oath or in ordeal.  [1913 Webster]
•  To remove in cleansing; to deterge; to wash away; -- often followed by away.  [1913 Webster]

  "Purge away our sins, for thy name's sake."  [1913 Webster]

  "We 'll join our cares to purge away
  Our country's crimes."  [1913 Webster]

Purge, v. i. 

•  To become pure, as by clarification.  [1913 Webster]
•  To have or produce frequent evacuations from the intestines, as by means of a cathartic.  [1913 Webster]

Purge, n. [Cf. F. purge. See Purge, v. t.].

•  The act of purging.  [1913 Webster]

  "The preparative for the purge of paganism of the kingdom of Northumberland."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which purges; especially, a medicine that evacuates the intestines; a cathartic.  Arbuthnot.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Purge, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 (often foll. by of, from) make physically or spiritually clean.
2 remove by a cleansing process.
3 rid (an organization, party, etc.) of persons regarded as undesirable.
4 a empty (the bowels). b empty the bowels of.
5 Law atone for or wipe out (an offence, esp. contempt of court).
--n.
1 the act or an instance of purging.
2 a purgative.

Derivative

purger n.

Etymology

ME f. OF purg(i)er f. L purgare purify f. purus pure

THESAURUS

Purge

BM, abolishment, abolition, absolve, abstergent, abstersion, abstract, account for, acquit, amnesty, annihilate, annihilation, annulment, aperient, assassinate, assassination, bandage, bathe, bereave of life, bleach, bloody flux, bloody murder, blow, blow out, bowdlerization, bowdlerize, bowel movement, break, bumping-off, bust, care for, carminative, carry away, carry off, cashier, cashiering, cast off, cast out, catharsis, cathartic, chloroform, choking, choking off, chuck, clean, clean out, clean up, cleaner, cleaning, cleaning agent, cleaning solvent, cleanse, cleanse away, cleanser, cleansing, cleansing cream, clear, clear away, clear off, clear out, clear the decks, clearance, cold cream, crap, cream, cry sour grapes, cure, cut down, cut off, cut out, debar, deconsecrate, deconsecration, decontaminate, defecate, defecation, defenestration, defrock, defrocking, dejection, deliver, deliverance, delouse, dentifrice, deplete, deport, deportation, deposal, depose, deposition, deprivation, deprive of life, depurant, depurate, deracinate, deracination, destigmatize, destroy, detachment, deterge, detergent, detersion, dethrone, dethronement, diagnose, diarrhea, disbar, disbarment, disbarring, discard, discharge, discrown, discrownment, disenthrone, disenthronement, disjunction, dismiss, dismissal, dispatch, dispel, dispense from, displace, displacement, disposal, dispose of, disposition, diuretic, do away with, do for, do justice to, do to death, doctor, drain, drum out, dry cleaning, dry-clean, dust, dust off, dysentery, eject, ejection, elide, eliminate, elimination, emetic, emotional release, empty, empty out, end, enema, eradicate, eradication, erase, evacuate, evacuation, exclude, excommunicate, excommunication, exculpate, excuse, execute, exempt, exempt from, exhaust, exile, exonerate, expatriate, expatriation, expel, explain, expulsion, expunge, expurgate, expurgation, exterminate, extermination, extinction, extinguishment, extirpate, extirpation, finish, finish off, firing, fling off, flux, forced resignation, forgive, foul play, free, free from, freeing, freshen, get quit of, get rid of, get shut of, give absolution, give care to, give release, give respite, give the gate, grant amnesty to, grant immunity, grant remission, heal, holystone, homicide, immolate, impeachment, intermission, intermit, justify, kick upstairs, kicking upstairs, kill, killing, launch into eternity, laxative, let go, let off, lientery, liquidate, liquidation, loose bowels, lotion, lustrate, lustration, lynch, make away with, manslaughter, martyr, martyrize, massage, minister to, mouthwash, movement, murder, nauseant, negation, nonpros, nullification, nurse, operate on, ostracism, oust, ouster, ousting, outlaw, outlawing, outlawry, overthrow, overthrowal, pardon, pension, pension off, pensioning off, physic, pick out, plaster, poison, poultice, pumice stone, purgation, purgative, purge away, purging, purification, purifier, purify, put away, put down, put to death, put to sleep, quash the charge, rationalize, read out of, reform, rehabilitate, reinstate, release, remedy, remit, removal, remove, remove from life, remove from office, reprieve, respite, restore, retire, retirement, rid, riddance, rinse, root out, root up, rooting out, rout out, rub, runs, sacrifice, scavenge, scour out, set free, severance, shake off, shampoo, shit, shits, shoo, shrive, shut out, silencing, slaughter, slay, snuffing out, soap, solvent, splint, spruce, starve, steam cleaning, steam-clean, stifling, stool, strangulation, strap, strike off, strike out, strip of office, strip of rank, suffocation, superannuate, superannuation, suppression, surcease, suspend, suspension, sweep away, sweep out, sweeten, synthetic detergent, take life, take off, throw off, throw over, throw overboard, thuggee, thuggery, thuggism, tidy, tolerate, tooth powder, toothpaste, treat, trots, turistas, unchurch, unchurching, unclog, undeceive, unfoul, unfrock, unfrocking, unsaddle, unseat, unseating, unthrone, uproot, uprooting, vent, vindicate, void, voidance, voiding, warrant, wash, wash out, weed out, whiten, whitewash, wipe, wipe off, wipe out, wipe up, withdraw the charge, withdrawal

ROGET THESAURUS

Purge

Cleanness

VB be clean, render clean, clean, cleanse, mundify, rinse, wring, flush, full, wipe, mop, sponge, scour, swab, scrub, brush up, wash, lave, launder, buck, absterge, deterge, decrassify, clear, purify, depurate, despumate, defecate, purge, expurgate, elutriate, lixiviate, edulcorate, clarify, refine, rack, filter, filtrate, drain, strain, disinfect, fumigate, ventilate, deodorize, whitewash, castrate, emasculate, sift, winnow, pick, weed, comb, rake, brush, sweep, rout out, clear out, sweep out, make a clean sweep of.

Atonement

VB atone, atone for, expiate, propitiate, make amends, make good, reclaim, redeem, repair, ransom, absolve, purge, shrive, do penance, stand in a white sheet, repent in sackcloth and ashes, wear a hairshirt, set one's house in order, wipe off old scores, make matters up, pay the forfeit, pay the penalty, apologize, beg pardon, fair l'amende honorable, give satisfaction, come down on one's knees, fall down on one's knees, down on one's marrow bones.

Ejection

VB give exit, give vent to, let out, give out, pour out, squeeze out, send out, dispatch, despatch, exhale, excern, excrete, embogue, secrete, secern, extravasate, shed, void, evacuation, emit, open the sluices, open the floodgates, turn on the tap, extrude, detrude, effuse, spend, expend, pour forth, squirt, spirt, spurt, spill, slop, perspire, breathe, blow, tap, draw off, bale out, lade out, let blood, broach, eject, reject, expel, discard, cut, send to coventry, boycott, chasser, banish, bounce, fire, fire out, throw, throw out, throw up, throw off, throw away, throw aside, push, throw out, throw off, throw away, throw aside, shovel out, shovel away, sweep out, sweep away, brush off, brush away, whisk off, whisk away, turn off, turn away, send off, send away, discharge, send adrift, turn adrift, cast adrift, turn out, bundle out, throw overboard, give the sack to, send packing, send about one's business, send to the right about, strike off the roll, turn out neck and heels, turn out head and shoulders, turn out neck and crop, pack off, send away with a flea in the ear, send to Jericho, bow out, show the door to, turn out of doors, turn out of house and home, evict, oust, unhouse, unkennel, dislodge, unpeople, dispeople, depopulate, relegate, deport, empty, drain to the dregs, sweep off, clear off, clear out, clear away, suck, draw off, clean out, make a clean sweep of, clear decks, purge, embowel, disbowel, disembowel, eviscerate, gut, unearth, root out, root up, averuncate, weed out, get out, eliminate, get rid of, do away with, shake off, exenterate, vomit, throw up, regurgitate, spew, puke, keck, retch, heave, upchuck, chuck up, barf, belch out, cast up, bring up, be sick, get sick, worship the porcelain god, disgorge, expectorate, clear the throat, hawk, spit, sputter, splutter, slobber, drivel, slaver, slabber, eructate, drool, unpack, unlade, unload, unship, offload, break bulk, dump, be let out, spew forth, erupt, ooze.