scourge | skərj |

noun

1 historical a whip used as an instrument of punishment.

2 a person or thing that causes great trouble or suffering: the scourge of mass unemployment.

verb [with object]

1 historical whip (someone) as a punishment: our people did scourge him severely.

2 cause great suffering to: political methods used to scourge and oppress workers.

UNDERSTATEMENT