Both Uses of
purge
in
The Poisonwood Bible
- Mother has a pagan's appreciation for the Bible, being devoted to such phrases as "purge me with hyssop," and "strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round," and "thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness."†
Chpt 1purge = get rid of
- When the Spirit passed through him he groaned, throwing body and soul into this weekly purge.†
Chpt 1 *
Definition:
get rid of things thought undesirable
The exact meaning of purge can depend upon its context. For example:
- "purge the government of our enemies" -- get rid of people for political reasons
- "purge my closet of everything I haven't worn in a year" -- get rid of undesired things
- "To purge yourself of crippling sorrow, you'll need to express it." -- get rid of unwanted feelings
- "I'm doing a 24-hour purge and then starting a new diet." -- emptying the intestinal tract