Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCORCH, v.t. [D. schroeijen, schrooken, to scorch. If this is the same word, there has been a transposition of the vowel. The Saxon has scorcned, the participle. But it is probable the Dutch is the true orthography, and the word is to be referred to the Ch. חרך, Ar. حَرَقَ haraka or charaka, to burn, singe or roast. Class Rg, No. 33, 34.]

1. To burn superficially; to subject to a degree of heat that changes the color of a thing, or both the color and texture of the surface. Fire will scorch linen or cotton very speedily in extremely cold weather.
2. To bum; to affect painfully with heat. Scorched with the burning sun or burning sands of Africa.