I. ˈskȯrch verb
Etymology: Middle English; probably akin to Middle English scorcnen to become singed, scorklen to parch
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to burn a surface of so as to change its color and texture
2.
a. : to dry or shrivel with or as if with intense heat : parch
b. : to afflict painfully with censure or sarcasm
3. : devastate ; especially : to destroy (as property of possible use to an advancing enemy) before abandoning — used in the phrase scorched earth
intransitive verb
1. : to become scorched
2. : to travel at great and usually excessive speed
3. : to cause intense heat or mental anguish
scorch ing sun
scorch ing fury
• scorch·ing·ly ˈskȯr-chiŋ-lē adverb
II. noun
Date: 15th century
1. : a result of scorching
2. : a browning of plant tissues usually from disease or heat
III. transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, perhaps blend of scoren to score and scocchen to scotch
Date: 14th century
dialect British : cut , slash