Wordnet 3.0
VERB (1)
1.
wipe away;
to wash off or out, cleanse;
chiefly in medical use: to clear away foul matter from the body;
- Example: "This drug is powerful enough to deterge"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Deterge \De*terge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterged; p. pr. &
vb. n. Deterging.] [L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to
rub or wipe off: cf. F. d['e]terger.]
To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from
the body, or from an ulcer.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
deterge
v 1: wipe away; to wash off or out, cleanse; chiefly in medical
use: to clear away foul matter from the body; "This drug is
powerful enough to deterge"