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purge Definition

purge (pʉrj)

transitive verb purged, purg·ing

  1. to cleanse or rid of impurities, foreign matter, or undesirable elements
  2. to cleanse of guilt, sin, or ceremonial defilement
  3. to remove by cleansing; clear (away, off, or out)
    1. to rid (a nation, political party, etc.) of individuals held to be disloyal or undesirable
    2. to kill or otherwise get rid of (such individuals)
  4. Law to free from a charge or imputation of guilt
  5. Med.
    1. to empty (the bowels)
    2. to cause (a person) to empty the bowels

Etymology: ME purgen < OFr purgier < L purgare, to cleanse < purus, clean (see pure) + agere, to do: see act

intransitive verb

  1. to become clean, clear, or pure
  2. to have or effect a thorough bowel movement

noun

  1. the act of purging
  2. that which purges; esp., a purgative, or cathartic
  3. the process of ridding a nation, political party, etc. of individuals held to be disloyal or undesirable

purge Related Forms
purger noun
purge Synonyms

purge

n.

  1. Cleansing

    abstersion, clarification, expurgation; see cleaning, purification.

  2. Excretion

    defecation, evacuation, catharsis; see excretion 1.

  3. Elimination

    eradication, disposal, murder, removal, liquidation, extermination, annihilation, extirpation, assassination, abolition, extinction, disposition, expulsion, ejection; see also destruction 1.

purge Synonyms

purge

v.

  1. To cleanse

    clear, purify, clarify; see clean, excrete.

  2. To eliminate

    liquidate, exterminate, dispose of; see abolish, forbid, kill 1, prevent.

purge Usage Examples

Object

  • valve: Another one could be a sticking carbon canister purge valve.
  • conscience: So why not share what truly inspires us, or touches the heart, or purges the conscience?
  • evil: So you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.
  • sin: MedXLIX:1 Each terrace of the Mount of Purgatory is watched over by an Angel, of the opposite virtue to the sin purged there.
  • air: This is achieved by flushing the desiccant bed with a flow of purge air which may or may not be heated.
  • button: A second stage scuba regulator also has a purge button which forces the intake valve to open.

Converse of object

  • downloading: Webmail Users Delete the email without downloading the attachment Purge your trash folder All Users We recommend protecting your PC and data from viruses.

Adjective modifier

  • bloody: Saddam's first period in office witnessed a bloody purge of the Iraqi left.
  • political: Nowhere was the chaos more apparent than in the country's past, which witnessed wholesale political purges and the slaughter of Buddhist monks.

Modifies a noun

  • air: This is due to the cost of the purge air which the heatless dryers use in larger quantities than do heat regenerative types.

Modifying Another Word

  • thoroughly: The state apparatus has been thoroughly purged of all Fascist elements.
  • regularly: Data no longer required for the legitimate purposes of the CWU will be regularly purged.
  • finally: I feel like I have finally purged myself of the repetitive thoughts that have been torturing me for the last year.
  • once: On the basis of this, " the worshipers, once purged, have no more conscience of sins.
  • completely: Before entering into glory man must be completely purged of sin by means of a spiritual purification of his soul.
  • then: Someone with bulimia will have a very chaotic eating pattern where they binge eat and then purge ( get rid of their food ).

Noun used with modifier

  • attachment: Webmail Users Delete the email without downloading the attachment Purge your trash folder All Users We recommend protecting your PC and data from viruses.

Particle object:

  • leaven: So the exercise in chapter 5 is to purge out all leaven that " ye may be a new lump.

Used with why or when

  • when: Many of these accounts will be extinct and will be purged when new accounts are created under the new domain.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • away: Thy blood so freely spilled, can blanch my blackest stains and purge away my guilt.
purge Quotes

Every book is like a purge; at the end of it one is empty†likea dryshell onthebeach, waiting for thetide to come in again.

—du Maurier, Dame Daphne

Behold, thoudesiresttruth intheinward parts: and inthe hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Browse dictionary entries near purge

  1. purgatory
  2. purgatorial
  3. purgative
  4. purgation
  5. purfle
  6. purely
  7. purebred
  8. pure plea
  9. pure play
  10. pure mesh
  1. purge(ing) contempt
  2. puri
  3. purification
  4. purificator
  5. purify
  6. Purim
  7. purine
  8. purism
  9. purist
  10. Puritan