to get rid of something unwanted completely, or to remove impurities from something.
From Latin 'purgare,' combining 'pur-' (pure) and 'agere' (to act). Originally meant to cleanse or make pure through removal.
Purge is one of history's double-edged words—it can mean cleaning out a closet or cleaning out political prisoners. The same word applies to both because both involve systematic removal, showing how neutral language can describe very different actions.
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