scourge
gb/skˈɚd͡ʒ/ us/skˈɚd͡ʒ/
C1
Englisch
~ 9400
csapás, átok, kilencfarkú korbács, sújt, megkorbácsol
NOMEN
C1
FORMAL
1
Verwendungsmuster:
the scourge of [something]
For many communities, opioid addiction has become the scourge of modern life.
Sok közösség számára az opioidfüggőség a modern élet csapásává vált.
Malaria remains a scourge of the developing world.
A malária továbbra is a fejlődő világ egyik csapása.
The documentary exposed the scourge of domestic violence in suburban neighborhoods.
Cybercrime is the new scourge of the financial sector.
Beispiele für Lernende
Unemployment is the scourge of this small town.
A munkanélküliség ennek a kisvárosnak a csapása.
Plastic waste is a scourge of the oceans.
A műanyaghulladék az óceánok átka.
For poor families, debt can be a real scourge.
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes use "scourge" for small, everyday problems, but it is normally only used for very serious and harmful things like war, disease, or extreme crime. It is also often confused with "scour", which means to clean or search something; these words are unrelated in meaning.
Bedeutung
cause of great suffering
Wortverbindungen
the scourge of war
|the scourge of drugs
|the scourge of poverty
|a terrible scourge
|a scourge on society
|the modern scourge of terrorism
Synonyme
plague (Often used in a similar figurative way, but can sound slightly less formal than "scourge".)
Antonyme
blessing (A positive thing that brings help or happiness, the opposite of something that causes deep harm.)
Themen
problems
|society
|violence
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very bad problem, person, or thing that hurts many people for a long time.
A person, thing, or serious problem that causes great and widespread suffering or trouble, often over a long period.
NOMEN
C2
LITERARY
2
Verwendungsmuster:
to use a scourge on [someone]
The prisoner flinched at the sight of the executioner’s scourge.
A fogoly összerezzent a hóhér kilencfarkú korbácsának láttán.
In many paintings, the martyr is shown bound and bleeding under the scourge.
Sok festményen a mártírt megkötözve és vérezve ábrázolják a kilencfarkú korbács ütései alatt.
The ancient text describes a cruel king who ruled with the scourge and the sword.
Beispiele für Lernende
The guard held a scourge in his hand.
Az őr egy kilencfarkú korbácsot tartott a kezében.
In the story, the slave was beaten with a scourge.
A történetben a rabszolgát kilencfarkú korbáccsal verték.
The old law allowed the use of a scourge as punishment.
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners may confuse this physical object meaning with the more common figurative meaning of a serious problem. When it means a whip, it usually appears in historical or religious writing, often with clear physical details such as blood, lashes, or punishment.
Bedeutung
whip used for punishment
Wortverbindungen
leather scourge
|lash of the scourge
|under the scourge
|wield a scourge
Synonyme
whip (More general and common; "scourge" usually suggests a heavy or cruel whip, often in historical or religious contexts.)
Antonyme
reward (A positive response or gift given for good behavior, the opposite of an instrument used for harsh punishment.)
Themen
history
|violence
|religion
|law
Definition
A strong whip used long ago to hit and punish people.
A whip with one or several lashes, used especially in the past to punish or torture people.
VERB
C2
FORMAL
3
sújt
B2
Verwendungsmuster:
[problem] scourges [place/people]
For decades, civil war has scourged the region, leaving millions displaced.
A polgárháború évtizedek óta sújtja a térséget, és milliókat kényszerített lakóhelyük elhagyására.
The coastal villages were scourged by repeated hurricanes.
A tengerparti falvakat ismétlődő hurrikánok sújtották.
Entire generations have been scourged by unemployment and corruption.
Small farming communities are being scourged by years of drought.
Beispiele für Lernende
The city was scourged by war for many years.
A várost sok éven át sújtotta a háború.
The country is scourged by a new disease.
Az országot egy új betegség sújtja.
The people were scourged by hunger and fear.
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes use "scourge" as a verb in everyday situations like "The rain scourged my trip"; this sounds too strong and unnatural. The verb is reserved for very serious and large-scale harm, and is often used in the passive: "The region was scourged by famine."
Bedeutung
to afflict very severely
Wortverbindungen
war scourged the region
|a disease scourged the population
|be scourged by poverty
|lands scourged by drought
Synonyme
ravage (Very close in meaning; "ravage" is slightly more common and can be a bit less formal in some contexts.)
Antonyme
relieve (Means to make suffering less or remove it, the opposite of causing intense suffering.)
Themen
problems
|society
|violence
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To hurt or damage many people or a place very badly, usually for a long time.
To cause great and widespread suffering, damage, or destruction to someone, something, or a place, often over an extended period.
VERB
C2
LITERARY
4
megkorbácsol
C1
Verwendungsmuster:
to scourge [someone]
The rebels were captured, chained, and scourged in the public square.
A lázadókat elfogták, megláncolták, és a főtéren megkorbácsolták.
According to the legend, he was scourged for refusing to deny his faith.
A legenda szerint megkorbácsolták, mert nem volt hajlandó megtagadni a hitét.
The law allowed officials to scourge anyone who tried to escape.
Beispiele für Lernende
The guards scourged the prisoner without mercy.
Az őrök irgalom nélkül megkorbácsolták a foglyot.
In the story, the king orders his men to scourge the thief.
A történetben a király megparancsolja embereinek, hogy megkorbácsolják a tolvajt.
The woman was scourged because she broke the harsh law.
Häufiger Fehler:
This meaning is rare today and mostly appears in historical or religious texts; learners might try to use it in modern legal or workplace contexts, where it sounds strange or wrong. In modern English you would use verbs like "beat" or "whip" instead.
Bedeutung
to whip as punishment
Wortverbindungen
scourged with whips
|scourged for heresy
|publicly scourged
|prisoners were scourged
Synonyme
flog (Very close in meaning; "flog" is more common, while "scourge" sounds older and more dramatic.)
Antonyme
spare (To choose not to punish or hurt someone, the opposite of beating them with a whip.)
Themen
history
|violence
|law
|religion
Definition
To beat someone again and again with a whip as a punishment.
To hit someone repeatedly with a whip, especially as a legal or religious punishment.
Grammatik
Grundform
scourge
IPA
GB/skˈɚd͡ʒ/
US/skˈɚd͡ʒ/
Silben & Betonung
scourge (1 Silbe)
Stress on 1st syllable (scourge)
Wortformen
Noun
- Base: scourge
- Plural: scourges
Verb
- Base: scourge
- 3rd Person Singular: scourges
- Present Participle: scourging
- Past: scourged
Wortfamilie
Forms
scourges
noun
scourging
verb
scourged
verb
Ausdrücke
a scourge on society
1/ə skˈɚd͡ʒ ˈɔn səsˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
thing that badly harms society
Used to say that something is very harmful and damaging to the whole society.
Beispiele
- The judge called domestic violence a scourge on society.
- Many health experts describe smoking as a scourge on society because of the lives it destroys.
the scourge of [something]
1/ðə skˈɚd͡ʒ əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
describe something as a major evil
Used to say that something is a very serious problem that hurts many people or a place for a long time.
Beispiele
- Journalists often write about the scourge of corruption in public life.
- Many governments are trying to fight the scourge of human trafficking.
- New laws aim to address the scourge of online harassment.