scald
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to burn or affect painfully with or as if with hot liquid or steam.
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to subject to the action of boiling or hot liquid.
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to heat to a temperature just short of the boiling point.
to scald milk.
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to parboil or blanch (fruit, vegetables, etc.).
verb (used without object)
noun
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a burn caused by the action of hot liquid or steam.
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any similar condition, especially as the result of too much heat or sunlight.
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Plant Pathology.
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a blanching of the epidermis and adjacent tissues, which turn pale or dark brown, caused by extreme heat or sun exposure.
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a condition resembling scald caused by improper conditions of growth or storage, as in apples, or by fungi, as in cranberries.
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adjective
noun
verb
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to burn or be burnt with or as if with hot liquid or steam
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(tr) to subject to the action of boiling water, esp so as to sterilize
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(tr) to heat (a liquid) almost to boiling point
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(tr) to plunge (tomatoes, peaches, etc) into boiling water briefly in order to skin them more easily
noun
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the act or result of scalding
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an abnormal condition in plants, characterized by discoloration and wrinkling of the skin of the fruits, caused by exposure to excessive sunlight, gases, etc
adjective
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonscalding adjective
- scalder noun
- unscalded adjective
- unscalding adjective
Etymology
Origin of scald1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb scalde(n), scolde(n), from Anglo-Latin scal(a)dāre, escaudāre, and Old French eschalder, eschauder, from Late Latin excaldāre “to wash in hot water”; ex- 1, caldarium
Origin of scald2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When this anger boiled over, it threatened to scald more than the British.
“Let’s get out of here,” I yelled at Rowdy, and tore out down a game trail like a scalded cat.
From Literature
I parked on a scalding day in late winter at an outdoor lot in downtown L.A. surrounded by corporate skyscrapers, the sidewalks lined with housing encampments.
From Los Angeles Times
In the shower, I relish the sensation of scalding water against my skin.
From Literature
The title invokes the container for holding scalding liquid metal.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
