I. ˈskȯ(ə)rch, -ȯ(ə)ch verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English scorchen, alteration of scorcnen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skorpna to shrivel up (as from heat); akin to Old English scrimman to dry up — more at shrimp
transitive verb
1. : to burn an exposed surface or portion of typically so as to change color and texture or flavor without consuming
a shirt scorched by a careless laundress
the bottom of the roast scorched by the cook
2.
a. : to burn and shrivel or parch with or as if with unrelieved intense heat
the long drought had scorched the leaves of the trees — Ellen Glasgow
b. : to burn, excoriate, or otherwise painfully afflict often with or as if with censure or sarcasm
devils in Dante — tearing, mangling … scorching demons — Charles Lamb
scorched the court … with his acid portrayals of spendthrift profligates — Time
3.
a. : to destroy by or as if by fire : burn
b. : to devastate completely especially before abandoning to the enemy
scorching whatever other facilities there were of military value — Newsweek
scorched by two wars in a generation — U.N. World
— used in the phrase scorched earth especially of property of possible use to an enemy
will resort to mass demolitions — even to a scorched earth policy — P.W.Thompson
practiced the scorched earth policy by flooding mines, felling fruit trees — Paul Alpert
4. : to dry (a newly molded stereotype matrix) in a scorcher
5. : to cause (a rubber compound) to scorch
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to become scorched
cotton and linens may scorch at high temperatures — Modern Home Laundering
b. of a rubber compound : to undergo vulcanization prematurely (as during mixing or calendering or on standing)
2. : to burn its way
the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scorch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red hot — Nathaniel Hawthorne
3.
a. : to ride or drive at great usually excessive speed
scorching off on his bicycle — Anne Parrish
scorching by on a motorcycle — Alan Moorehead
b. : to travel fast
a missile that could … scorch off toward a land target — M.G.Miles
something scorches past your face — Fred Majdalany
Synonyms: see burn
II. noun
( -es )
1. : a result of scorching : a surface burn ; also : heat that scorches
2. : a browning or scorched appearance of plant tissues that is symptomatic of some diseases or is caused by heat or parasites — called also scorching ; see bark scorch , leaf scorch
3. : an act of scorching
a play that is all scorch — Time
4. : a run at high speed (as in a motor vehicle)
III. transitive verb
Etymology: alteration (influenced by scorch ) (I) of score (II)
dialect chiefly England : cut , slash , scratch