Scorch (skôrch), v. 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 linen.
Summer drouth or singèd 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, v. 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.
Scorch, v. i. To ride or drive at
great, usually at excessive, speed; -- applied chiefly to
automobilists and bicyclists. [Colloq.] -- Scorch"er,
n. [Colloq.]
Scorch (skôrch), v. 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 linen.
Summer drouth or singèd 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, v. 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.
Scorch, v. i. To ride or drive at
great, usually at excessive, speed; -- applied chiefly to
automobilists and bicyclists. [Colloq.] -- Scorch"er,
n. [Colloq.]
