late 14c., purgacioun, "purification from sin," also "discharge of waste; evacuation of evil humors by bloodletting, etc.," from Old French purgacion "a cleansing," medical or spiritual (12c., Modern French purgation) and directly from Latin purgationem (nominative purgatio) "a cleansing, purging," figuratively "an apology, justification," noun of action from past-participle stem of purgare "to cleanse, purify" (see purge (v.)).
"sickly-looking; having an unhealthy, emaciated appearance," 1835, from past participle of the obsolete or dialectal verb peak "look sickly or thin, shrink, waste away" (1540s), which is perhaps from peak on the notion of "become pointed" through emaciation. Middle English had also a verb peken "to move dejectedly, slink" (mid-15c.), but the connection is uncertain. Related: Peakedness.
Perhaps the English word originally is from a derivative of Old French garbe/jarbe "sheaf of wheat, bundle of sheaves," though the sense connection is difficult. This word is from Proto-Germanic *garba- (source also of Dutch garf, German garbe "sheaf"), from PIE *ghrebh- (1) "to seize, reach" (see grab (v.)).
"In modern American usage garbage is generally restricted to mean kitchen and vegetable wastes" [Craigie]. Used figuratively for "worthless, offensive stuff" from 1590s. Garbage can is from 1901. Garbage collector "trash man" is from 1872; Australian shortening garbo attested from 1953. Garbology "study of waste as a social science" is by 1976; garbologist is from 1965.
"dross, scum, superfluous matter, separated from that which is useful," especially a waste product of an animal or vegetable body, 1590s, from French récrément (mid-16c.) or directly from Latin recrementum, as if from a verb *recernere, from re- (see re-) + cernere "to sift, separate" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). Related: Recremental (1570s); recrementitious.
"to pour out, spill," late 14c., from French effuser or directly from Latin effusus "poured out," past participle of effundere "pour forth, spread abroad; to lavish, squander, waste," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + fundere "to pour" (from nasalized form of PIE root *gheu- "to pour"). Related: Effused; effusing. Not to be confused with eff youse.
c. 1400, "mudhole," probably from Old English -sloppe "dung" (in plant name cusloppe, literally "cow dung"), related to slyppe "slime" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip"). Meaning "semi-liquid food" first recorded 1650s; that of "refuse liquid of any kind, household liquid waste" (usually slops) is from 1815. Meaning "affected or sentimental material" is from 1866.
