Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Scorch
Scorch
(skôrch)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Scorched
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Scorching
.] [OE.
scorchen
, probably akin to scorcnen
; cf. Norw. skrokken
shrunk up, skrekka
, skrökka
, to shrink, to become wrinkled up, dial. Sw. skråkkla
to wrinkle (see Shrug
); but perhaps influenced by OF. escorchier
to strip the bark from, to flay, to skin, F. écorcher
, LL. excorticare
; L. ex
from + cortex
, -icis
, bark (cf. Cork
); because the skin falls off when scorched.] 1.
To burn superficially; to parch, or shrivel, the surface of, by heat; to subject to so much heat as changes color and texture without consuming;
as, to
. scorch
linenSummer drouth or singèd air
Never
Never
scorch
thy tresses fair. Milton.
2.
To affect painfully with heat, or as with heat; to dry up with heat; to affect as by heat.
Lashed by mad rage, and
scorched
by brutal fires. Prior.
3.
To burn; to destroy by, or as by, fire.
Power was given unto him to
scorch
men with fire. Rev. xvi. 8.
The fire that
scorches
me to death. Dryden.
Scorch
,Verb.
I.
1.
To be burnt on the surface; to be parched; to be dried up.
Scatter a little mungy straw or fern amongst your seedlings, to prevent the roots from
scorching
. Mortimer.
2.
To burn or be burnt.
He laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to
scorch
into Hester’s breast, as if it had been red hot. Hawthorne.
Webster 1828 Edition
Scorch
SCORCH
, v.t.1.
To burn superficially; to subject to a degree of heat that changes the color of a thing, or both the color and texture of the surface. Fire will scorch linen or cotton very speedily in extremely cold weather.2.
To burn; to affect painfully with heat. Scorched with the burning sun or burning sands of Africa.SCORCH
,Verb.
I.
Scatter a little mungy straw and fern among your seedlings, to prevent the roots from scorching.