singe
singe Lexical Profile
singe Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To burn something superficially or lightly, especially at the edges or ends.
"He leaned too close to the campfire and accidentally singed his eyebrows."
To pass a plucked bird or animal carcass briefly over a flame to burn off remaining bristles, down, or feathers.
"Before roasting the duck, the chef singed the skin over a gas burner to remove any fine pinfeathers."
• noun
A superficial or slight burn on the surface or edges of something.
"The hot iron left a brown singe on the collar of his white cotton shirt."
Word Nuance & Usage
The present participle and gerund form is spelled 'singeing' (retaining the final 'e') to distinguish it in both spelling and pronunciation from 'singing' (from the verb 'sing').
• Rhymes for singe
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'sengan' (to burn slightly, scorch), originally a causative verb meaning 'to make hiss or sing' from Proto-Germanic '*sangwijana', related to 'singan' (to sing) in reference to the crackling sound of burning hair or feathers.