scorch
verb /skɔːtʃ/
/skɔːrtʃ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they scorch | /skɔːtʃ/ /skɔːrtʃ/ |
| he / she / it scorches | /ˈskɔːtʃɪz/ /ˈskɔːrtʃɪz/ |
| past simple scorched | /skɔːtʃt/ /skɔːrtʃt/ |
| past participle scorched | /skɔːtʃt/ /skɔːrtʃt/ |
| -ing form scorching | /ˈskɔːtʃɪŋ/ /ˈskɔːrtʃɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot; to be slightly burned by heat
- scorch (something) I scorched my dress when I was ironing it.
- Don't stand so near the fire—your coat is scorching!
- scorch something + adj. The buildings around us were scorched black by the fire.
Synonyms burnburn- char
- scald
- scorch
- singe
- burn to damage, injure, destroy or kill somebody/something with fire, heat or acid; to be damaged, etc. by fire, heat or acid:
- She burned all his letters.
- The house burned down in 1995.
- char [usually passive] to make something black by burning it; to become black by burning:
- The bodies had been charred beyond recognition.
- scald to burn part of your body with very hot liquid or steam.
- scorch to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot:
- I scorched my dress when I was ironing it.
- singe to burn the surface of something slightly, usually by mistake; to be burnt in this way:
- He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette.
- to burn/scald yourself/your hand
- to burn/scorch/singe your hair/clothes
- burnt-out/charred/scorched remains/ruins/buildings
- [transitive, intransitive] scorch (something) to become or to make something become dry and brown, especially from the heat of the sun or from chemicals
- scorched grass
- The leaves will scorch if you water them in the sun.
- Wildfires have scorched over two million acres of forest.
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. (British English, informal) to move very fast
- The car scorched off down the road.
- She scorched to victory in the sprint final.
Word OriginMiddle English (as a verb): perhaps related to Old Norse skorpna ‘be shrivelled’.