A lash; a strap or cord; especially, a lash used to inflict pain or punishment; an instrument of punishment or discipline; a whip.
Hence, a means of inflicting punishment, vengeance, or suffering; an infliction of affliction; a punishment.
To whip severely; to lash.
To punish with severity; to chastise; to afflict, as for sins or faults, and with the purpose of correction.
To harass or afflict severely.
In Alexandrian, and presumably Gardnerian witchcraft, the scourge consists of a wooden handle to which eight tails (the Farrars describe theirs as having tails of embroidery silk) are attached, with each tail having five knots. The scourge has some symbolic uses in ritual, but is frequently used in ritual to gently strike the skin rhythmically to help induce trance, and to invigorate circulation.
a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)
punish severely; excoriate
whip; "The religious fanatics flagellated themselves"
a whip or lash (in this limerick)
a whipping device smaller but similar to a cat'o'nine tails and was used for beating the dust from household linen, clothing and other materials
A small device made from leather or hemp, resembling a whip, which is used in flagellation rites.
scourge is typically a whip of several leather thongs, as once practiced by religious flagellants. Used loosely, the term "scourging" is likely to imply a whipping severe enough to draw blood.
A whip for punishing prisoners.
(1) A ritual whip symbolizing firmness, in balance with the Wand which symbolizes mercy. Most ritual scourges are quite harmless, made for example with silk thongs. (2) A tool of discipline, the scourge may be used to generate energy through scourging (flogging) of the back and buttocks, to stimulate the muladhara chakra and bloodflow. A symbol of mental discipline. Scourges or flails are part of the standard Craft ritual tool but little is said about its use. It is most often seen held in the "Osiris" position by the priestess. It is used when blessing/welcoming people into the circle as well as during ritual to help increase power.
A scourge (from the Italian scoriada, ultimately from the Latin excoriare = "to flay" and corium = "skin") is a whip or lash, especially a multi-tong type used in order to inflict severe corporal punishment or self-mortification on the back.
