verb
scorch
skawch
verb
1
To burn the surface of something, discolouring or damaging it without destroying it completely.
"The iron scorched a mark into the shirt."
"The summer sun scorched the lawn brown."
noun
1
A mark or patch of surface burning or discolouration.
"There's a scorch on the tablecloth from the hot pan."
How to Use Scorch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo burn something on the surface, or the burn mark itself; also used loosely for extreme heat or blistering criticism.
Common pairings
scorch the earth
scorching heat
scorch marks
Word Forms
scorched past tense, scorches plural, scorches singular
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Etymology
From Middle English scorchen, likely an alteration of an earlier form related to Old Norse skorpna, "to shrivel up."