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to scour out

to scour out

4.6
To clean something very well by scrubbing or washing
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : fregar
  • She spent the afternoon scouring out the dirty pots and pans in the kitchen.

Examples

  • Before reusing the jar, make sure to scour out any residue inside.

  • They always scour out the pans after each use to prevent buildup.

  • She scoured out the old bathtub until it shone like new.

  • Please scour out the old carpet.

  • She needs to scour out the dirty pots!

  • We need to scour out the old oven before we can use it for baking.

  • To maintain the pool, he had to scour out all the debris from the bottom.

Synonyms

to clean
vsto scour out
1.0

To remove dirt and stains

focuses more on heavy, effortful cleaning rather than general removal
to clean up
vsto scour out
433 1.0

To make a room or area free of dirt and tidy by removing mess

emphasizes deeper, effortful cleaning rather than simple tidying
to sweep
vsto scour out
227 1.0

To clean a floor or surface by brushing away dirt with a broom

involves stronger, effortful washing or scrubbing to remove embedded grime
to flush out
vsto scour out
51 4.5

Force unwanted people or things out of a place, often using water

focuses on thorough cleaning by effort rather than expelling items with force
to wash off
vsto scour out
31 1.0

To remove something from a surface by washing with water or soap

is like this but often implies heavier effort and scrubbing
to scour
vsto scour out
15 4.8

To clean something by rubbing it hard with a rough cloth or brush

is the same idea focused on intense washing and effort
to wash out
vsto scour out
9 2.0

Clean something using water to remove dirt or stains

has the same thoroughness but can stress scrubbing rather than only washing
to mop up
vsto scour out
5 2.6

To remove liquid or dirt from a floor with a cloth

aims for deeper removal by scrubbing or heavy washing instead of wiping
to steam clean
vsto scour out
3 3.2

Remove dirt or stains from something using hot steam

shares deep cleaning aim but uses manual scrubbing rather than steam
to scrub off
vsto scour out
1 2.5

To remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard with a brush

uses the same strong effort but can include washing as well
to sweep out
vsto scour out
1 2.2

To remove dirt or leaves from a place using a broom

uses heavier washing and scrubbing rather than light brushing away
to scrub the kitchen
vsto scour out
1 2.3

To clean the kitchen by rubbing surfaces to remove dirt or stains

is similar but applies to any object rather than only kitchens
to clean (something) off
vsto scour out
1 1.0

To remove dirt or mud from a surface

is more forceful, stressing thorough removal by effort and scrubbing
to sponge out
vsto scour out
4.7

To remove liquid from a surface by wiping it with a cloth

targets full, effortful cleaning including stubborn dirt removal rather than just liquid

Antonyms

59 4.5

To make something dirty with mud or dirt

How Thorough

to scour out
4.6
to scrub
55 1.0
to clean
1.0
to wash
941 1.0
to wipe
531 1.0

Surface Forms

scour out infinitive
scoured out past participle
scouring out present participle
scours out third person singular

Morphology

scour + out

The base verb 'scour' means to clean by heavy scrubbing, and adding the particle 'out' signals removing dirt from the interior or doing the action completely. This verb+out compositional pattern (intensifying/completive meaning) is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Scour out comes from the image of scour (to rub hard) and out (the inside), like scraping the inside of a pan or jar until all the dirt and old food are removed. That's why it means 'to clean something thoroughly'.