scorch

Everyday

1. To scorch something is to burn its surface a little, so it turns brown or black. tree →
2. The sun can scorch grass or plants, drying them out. tree →
3. A scorch (scorch mark) is a small burnt mark. tree →

In the lessons

In safety lessons: an iron can scorch clothes, a hot pan can scorch the table. In science, hot dry weather scorches the land. Phrases: «scorch mark», «scorched earth», «scorching hot».

Examples

• The iron scorched my shirt. tree →
• The hot sun scorched the grass. tree →
• There's a scorch mark on the table from the hot pan. tree →
• Don't leave the toast too long or it will scorch. tree →
• The fire scorched the trees but did not burn them down. tree →
• The bushfire scorched the hills. tree →
• Fire, fire! do not scorch me like this; you can’t think how it hurts.’ tree →

Note

Regular verb. Scorch is lighter than burn: only the outside is damaged.