Purgation

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The process or act of purging, such as by the use of a purgative. countable, uncountable

    "[…] Lanfrank takes Notice of Tract. 3. Doct. 3. cap. 18. ſaying, "I have ſeen many who being full of Humours, have made an Iſſue under the Knee, before due Purgation had been premis'd; whence, by reaſon of the too great Defluxion of Humours, the Legs tumified, ſo that the cauterized Place corrupted, and a Cancer (or rather cacoethic Ulcer) was thereby made, with which great Difficulty was cur'd.""

  2. 2
    the act of clearing yourself (or another) from some stigma or charge wordnet
  3. 3
    The process or act of cleansing from sin or guilt. countable, uncountable

    "Secondly, The branches of Plants have been us'd in religious Purgations or Expiations. In the Moſaical Law there was one general kind of Sacrifice commanded for Purgation, which conſiſted of an Heifer ſacrificed and burnt to Aſhes; with which, and ſpring water, a Lee was made to ſerve for many ſorts of Purgations."

  4. 4
    a ceremonial cleansing from defilement or uncleanness by the performance of appropriate rites wordnet
  5. 5
    Exoneration or the act undertaken to achieve exoneration. archaic, countable, uncountable

    "Thus do all traitors; If their purgation did consist in words, They are as innocent as grace itself. Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not."

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  1. 6
    purging the body by the use of a cathartic to stimulate evacuation of the bowels wordnet

Etymology

From Middle English purgacioun, borrowed from Anglo-Norman purgacion, itself borrowed from Latin pūrgātiō; equivalent to purge + -ation.

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