scorch Hear it!

scorch Definition

scorch (skôrc̸h)

transitive verb

    1. to char, discolor, or damage the surface of by superficial burning
    2. to parch, shrivel, or spoil by too intense heat; wither
  2. to make a caustic attack on; assail scathingly; excoriate
  3. to burn and destroy everything in (an area) before yielding it to the enemy a scorched-earth policy

Etymology: ME scorchen < ? Scand, as in ON scorpna, to shrivel (< IE *(s)kerb(h)-: see sharp): sp. prob. infl. by OFr escorcher, to flay

intransitive verb

  1. to become scorched
  2. Slang to ride or drive at high speed

noun

  1. a superficial burning or burn
  2. the browning and death of plant leaves or fruits, caused by too much heat, by fungi, etc.

scorch Synonyms

scorch

v.

singe, roast, parch, shrivel; see burn 2, 6. See syn. study at burn.

scorch Usage Examples

Object

  • sun: By day they worked under the rays of the scorching sun; by night, under the gleam of the electric light.
  • sunshine: All types, shapes and sizes of vehicles made the run in all types of weather, scorching sunshine to torrential rain.
  • earth: Her power flooded through the scorched earth in a soothing wave of relief.
  • heat: The sun will not beat upon them, Nor any scorching heat.
  • desert: I do not wonder that the weary camels coming from the scorching African deserts should be able to scent the Nile.
  • weather: The Jazz day itself, in scorching weather, also achieved new attendance records, to make the whole weekend a resounding success.

Subject

  • sun: If the wheat has been scorched by the sun or flattened by the rain and wind, the labor is in vain.
  • fire: Its surface will be scorched by the fire of the atomic bombs.

Modifies a noun

  • mark: Prolog The woman bore a scorch mark from her chin to her brow.
  • damage: Minor scorch damage was caused to the exterior of the house however no one was injured during the attack.

Modifying Another Word

  • badly: Some trees were badly scorched, however they appear to be shooting from the base.
  • slightly: Donated to the Airport Fire Section in June 1994, it survived the next five years by only being slightly scorched.
  • away: Under Brendan Phillips' management they scorched away with the league winning by a huge margin of points.
  • not: The east wind does not scorch Egypt, it is the south wind.

Adjective complement

  • hot: The weather was scorching hot; there was no breeze at all.

Preposition: in

  • sun: The foliage is best in partial shade - the delicate variegated leaves may scorch in full sun.

Noun used with modifier

  • leaf: Apply water directly to the soil in the mornings to prevent leaf scorch.

Preposition: by

  • sun: If the wheat has been scorched by the sun or flattened by the rain and wind, the labor is in vain.
  • heat: The world, scorched by the heat of that weapon, seemed to be in a fever ' .
  • fire: Its surface will be scorched by the fire of the atomic bombs.