scald

¹

[ skawld ]

verb (used with object)

1. to burn or affect painfully with or as if with hot liquid or steam.
2. to subject to the action of boiling or hot liquid.
3. to heat to a temperature just short of the boiling point:

   to scald milk.

4. to parboil or blanch (fruit, vegetables, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to be or become scalded.

noun

1. a burn caused by the action of hot liquid or steam.
2. any similar condition, especially as the result of too much heat or sunlight.
3. Plant Pathology.
   1. a blanching of the epidermis and adjacent tissues, which turn pale or dark brown, caused by extreme heat or sun exposure.
   2. a condition resembling scald caused by improper conditions of growth or storage, as in apples, or by fungi, as in cranberries.

scald

²

[ skawld ]

adjective

1. Also scalled. scabby; covered with scurf.

noun

1. a scab.

scald

¹

/ skɔːld /

noun

1. a variant spelling of skald

scald

²

/ skɔːld /

verb

1. to burn or be burnt with or as if with hot liquid or steam
2. tr to subject to the action of boiling water, esp so as to sterilize
3. tr to heat (a liquid) almost to boiling point
4. tr to plunge (tomatoes, peaches, etc) into boiling water briefly in order to skin them more easily

noun

1. the act or result of scalding
2. an abnormal condition in plants, characterized by discoloration and wrinkling of the skin of the fruits, caused by exposure to excessive sunlight, gases, etc

scald

³

/ skɔːld /

adjective

1. scabby

noun

1. a scab or a skin disease producing scabs

Derived Forms

• ˈscalder, noun

Other Words From

• non·scalding adjective
• un·scalded adjective
• un·scalding adjective

Word History and Origins

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

First recorded in 1490–1500; scall + -ed ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of scald¹

C13: via Old Norman French from Late Latin excaldāre to wash in warm water, from calida ( aqua ) warm (water), from calēre to be warm

Origin of scald²

C16: from scall

Example Sentences

To loosen their feathers, chicken carcasses are dunked into a tank of scalding water.

From ProPublica

After extensive modeling, they have found that the atmospheric pressures on some of these planets could allow hot-but-not-scalding oceans to persist for billions of years.

From Popular-Science

They can go years without food or water, withstand freezing and scalding temperatures and endure blistering radiation and the vacuum of outer space.

From Science News

After those lies inspired the violent assault on the Capitol, Hawley took scalding criticism, which he has now tossed into the Right-Wing Media Victimization Machine, magically converting it into an effort to “cancel” him.

From Washington Post

Court records suggest that Moore had once scalded Antaramian with hot water, sold herself as the trustee of the victim’s estate and isolated her from friends.

From Voice of San Diego

His duty it was to stand at the head of the scalding trough, watch in hand, to "time" the length of the scald, crying "Hog in!"

From Project Gutenberg

"Washes himself as if he's afraid the water'd scald him," said the Deacon, watching the negro's awkward efforts.

From Project Gutenberg

“'And you will be sure to scald your fingers and get the worst of it,'” Puddy went on relentlessly.

From Project Gutenberg

Take a quart of milk; heat one third and scald with it a half-pint of flour; if skimmed milk, use a small piece of butter.

From Project Gutenberg

Either they didn't scald the meal or they didn't heat the oven,—what in one hand was light beaten gold in another became lead.

From Project Gutenberg