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Fumble vs Scour - What's the difference?

fumble | scour |

As verbs the difference between fumble and scour

is that fumble is (intransitive) to idly touch or nervously handle while scour is to clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.

As nouns the difference between fumble and scour

is that fumble is (sports) a ball etc that has been dropped while scour is the removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.

fumble

English

Verb

(fumbl)
  • (intransitive) To idly touch or nervously handle
    • Waiting for the interview, he fumbled with his tie.
    He fumbled the key into the lock.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2010 , date=December 28 , author=Owen Phillips , title=Sunderland 0 - 2 Blackpool , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Henderson's best strike on goal saw goalkeeper Kingson uncomfortably fumble his measured shot around the post.}}
  • (intransitive) To grope awkwardly in trying to find something
    • He fumbled for his keys.
    He fumbled his way to the light-switch.
  • * Fielding
    • Adams now began to fumble in his pockets.
  • To blunder uncertainly.
    • He fumbled through his prepared speech.
  • To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly.
    • to fumble for an excuse
  • * Chesterfield
    • My understanding flutters and my memory fumbles .
  • * Wordsworth
    • Alas! how he fumbles about the domains.
  • (transitive, intransitive, sports) To drop a ball or a baton etc.
  • To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) A ball etc. that has been dropped

    • scour

    English

    Alternative forms

    * scower (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.
    • He scoured the burner pans to remove the burnt spills.
  • To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off.
    • He scoured the burnt food from the pan.
  • * Shakespeare
    • [I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, / Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.
  • To search an area thoroughly.
    • They scoured the scene of the crime for clues.
  • (ambitransitive) To move swiftly over; to brush along.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • when swift Camilla scours the plain
  • * Dryden
    • So four fierce coursers, starting to the race, / Scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.
  • (veterinary medicine) Of livestock, to suffer from diarrhea.
    • If a lamb is scouring , do not delay treatment.
  • (veterinary medicine) To purge.
    • to scour a horse
  • (obsolete) To cleanse.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.

    Derived terms

    * scourer

    Noun

    (-)
  • The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.
    • Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the bridge.