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”.
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Summer drouth or singèd air
Never scorch thy tresses fair. Milton.
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2. To affect painfully with heat, or as with heat; to dry up with heat; to affect as by heat.
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Lashed by mad rage, and scorched by brutal fires. Prior.
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3. To burn; to destroy by, or as by, fire.
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Power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. Rev. xvi. 8.
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The fire that scorches me to death. Dryden.
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