purging

Etymology

From Middle English purgynge; equivalent to purge + -ing.

verb

1. present participle and gerund of purge

noun

1. The act or an instance of eliminating contamination: a purification, a cleansing
   1. (chiefly politics) A removal of undesirable people.
   2. (chiefly chemistry) The cleansing of a device by flushing it with water, steam, or some other liquid or gas.
2. The removal of waste from the human body
   1. (premodern medicine) The removal of excess humors through bloodletting, induced vomitting, etc.
   2. (medicine) The removal of digested waste: defecation; defecation induced by laxatives.
3. (chiefly medicine) Vomiting; vomiting induced by purgatives.
   He had violent pains in his belly, and purgings... 1849, The Journal of Health and Disease, page 98
4. (obsolete and rare) That which is purged: contamination, a contaminant; refuse; sin; etc.
5. (obsolete and rare) Synonym of purgation: the act or an instance of removing guilt or suspicion of a misdeed.