Hypertext Webster Gateway: "purgation"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Purgation \Pur*ga"tion\, n. [L. purgatio: cf. F. purgation. See
{Purge}.]
1. The act of purging; the act of clearing, cleansing, or
putifying, by separating and carrying off impurities, or
whatever is superfluous; the evacuation of the bowels.
2. (Law) The clearing of one's self from a crime of which one
was publicly suspected and accused. It was either
canonical, which was prescribed by the canon law, the form
whereof used in the spiritual court was, that the person
suspected take his oath that he was clear of the matter
objected against him, and bring his honest neighbors with
him to make oath that they believes he swore truly; or
vulgar, which was by fire or water ordeal, or by combat.
See {Ordeal}. --Wharton.
Let him put me to my purgation. --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
purgation
n 1: the act of clearing yourself (or another) from some stigma
or charge [syn: {purge}, {purging}]
2: an act of removing by cleansing; ridding of sediment or
other other undesired elements [syn: {purge}, {purging}]
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