scorch Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a surface burn
    singe.
  2. noun a plant disease that produces a browning or scorched appearance of plant tissues
  3. noun a discoloration caused by heat
  4. verb make very hot and dry
    sear.
    • The heat scorched the countryside
  5. verb become superficially burned
    sear; singe.
    • my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames
  6. verb destroy completely by or as if by fire
    • The wildfire scorched the forest and several homes
    • the invaders scorched the land
  7. verb burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    char; sear; blacken.
    • The cook blackened the chicken breast
    • The fire charred the ceiling above the mantelpiece
    • the flames scorched the ceiling
  8. verb become scorched or singed under intense heat or dry conditions
    • The exposed tree scorched in the hot sun

WordNet

Scorch transitive verb
Etymology
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Scorched ; present participle & verbal noun Scorching
Definitions
  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 linen.
    Summer drouth or singed air 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 intransitive verb
Definitions
  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 scoch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red hot. Hawthorne.

Webster 1913