scald
scald Lexical Profile
scald Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To injure or burn with very hot liquid or steam.
"Be careful when removing the lid from the kettle so the escaping steam does not scald your hand."
To heat a liquid, especially milk, to just below its boiling point.
"The traditional custard recipe requires you to scald the milk with a vanilla bean before whisking it into the eggs."
To immerse food or kitchen utensils briefly in boiling water in order to sterilize them or loosen outer skins.
"The chef instructed the prep cook to scald the ripe tomatoes for thirty seconds so their skins would peel off easily."
• noun
A burn or similar injury to the skin or flesh caused by contact with hot liquid or steam.
"The nurse treated the painful scald on his forearm with a cooling sterile dressing."
A discoloration or lesion on fruit or plant foliage caused by excessive heat, intense sunlight, or improper storage conditions.
"Orchard growers use shade nets during midsummer to protect the apples from sun scald."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'burn' refers to tissue damage caused by dry heat, fire, chemicals, or radiation, 'scald' specifically denotes an injury caused by hot liquid or steam. It should also not be confused with the near-homophone 'scold' (to angrily reprimand).
• Rhymes for scald
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman 'escalder' and Old Northern French 'escalder', ultimately from Late Latin 'excaldare' (to wash in hot water), formed from 'ex-' (thoroughly) and 'calidus' (hot).