/skɔːrtʃ/
scorch
BrE /skɔːtʃ/
NAmE /skɔːrtʃ/
[T, I]
~ (sth) |
~ sth + adj.
to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot; to be slightly burned by heat
I scorched my dress when I was ironing it.
Don’t stand so near the fire—your coat is scorching!
burnchar ◇ scald ◇ scorch ◇ singe
These words all mean to damage, injure, destroy or kill sb/sth with heat or fire.
burn to damage, injure, destroy or kill sb/sth 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 sth 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 sth slightly, usually by mistake; to be burnt in this way：
He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette.
scorch or singe?
Things are scorched by heat or fire. Things can only be singed by fire or a flame.
Patterns
to burn/scald yourself/your hand
to burn/scorch/singe your hair/clothes
burnt out/charred/scorched remains/ruins/buildings
[T, I]
~ (sth)
to become or to make sth 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.
[I]
+ adv./prep.
(BrE, informal)
to move very fast
The car scorched off down the road.