v. & n.
v.tr. 1 poet. injure esp. by blasting or withering. 2 (as scathing adj.) witheringly scornful (scathing sarcasm). 3 (with neg.) do the least harm to (shall not be scathed) (cf. UNSCATHED).
n. (usu. with neg.) archaic harm; injury (without scathe). scatheless predic.adj. scathingly adv.
[ (v.) ME f. ON skatha = OE sceathian: (n.) OE f. ON skathi = OE sceatha malefactor, injury, f. Gmc ]