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What is the difference between scald and scorch?

scald | scorch |

As verbs the difference between scald and scorch

is that scald is to burn with hot liquid while scorch is to burn the surface of something so as to discolour it.

As nouns the difference between scald and scorch

is that scald is a burn, or injury to the skin or flesh, by hot liquid or steam while scorch is a slight or surface burn.

As an adjective scald

is affected with the scab; scabby.

scald

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl),

Verb

(en verb)
  • To burn with hot liquid.
    • to scald the hand
  • * 1605 , , IV. vii. 48:
    • Mine own tears / Do scald like molten lead.
  • * Cowley
    • Here the blue flames of scalding brimstone fall.
  • (cooking) To heat almost to boiling.
    • Scald the milk until little bubbles form.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A burn, or injury to the skin or flesh, by hot liquid or steam.

    • Etymology 2

    Alteration of (scall).

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Scaliness; a scabby skin disease.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , I.vii:
    • Her craftie head was altogether bald, / And as in hate of honorable eld, / Was ouergrowne with scurfe and filthy scald .
  • *, II.12:
    • Some heale Horses, some cure men, some the plague, some the scald .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Affected with the scab; scabby.
  • * 1599 , , III. i. 110:
    • and let us knog our / prains together to be revenge on this same scald , scurvy, / cogging companion,
  • (obsolete) Paltry; worthless.
  • * 1598 , , V. ii. 215:
    • Saucy lictors / Will catch at us like strumpets, and scald rhymers / Ballad us out o' tune.

    Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)
    • A war song such as was of yore chanted on the field of battle by the scalds of the yet heathen Saxons. — Sir Walter Scott.
    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * *

    References

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    scorch

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A slight or surface burn.
  • A discolouration caused by heat.
  • Brown discoloration on the leaves of plants caused by heat, lack of water or by fungi.

    • Derived terms

    * scorchy

    Verb

    (es)
  • To burn the surface of something so as to discolour it
  • To wither, parch or destroy something by heat or fire, especially to make land or buildings unusable to an enemy
  • * Prior
    • Lashed by mad rage, and scorched by brutal fires.
  • To become scorched or singed
  • To move at high speed (so as to leave scorch marks on the ground)
  • To burn; to destroy by, or as by, fire.
  • * Bible, Revelations xvi. 8
    • Power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
  • * Dryden
    • the fire that scorches me to death

    References