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parch

verb

  1. make very very dry
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Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /pɑɹt͡ʃ/ / /pɑːtʃ/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English parchen, paarchen (“to parch; dry; roast”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant of Middle English perchen (“to roast”).

  1. The condition of being parched.

    Yet here he is, not at the head, but somewhere toward the rear of the serpentine queue wending its way through all this parch […].

verb

Etymology: From Middle English parchen, paarchen (“to parch; dry; roast”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant of Middle English perchen (“to roast”).

  1. To burn the surface of, to scorch.

    The sun today could parch cement.

  2. To roast, as dry grain.

    Ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn.

  3. To dry to extremity; to shrivel with heat.

    The patient’s mouth is parched from fever.

    They vvould go over board vvith a Rope faſtned about them, that by drenching themſelves a vvhile in the Sea, they might eaſe the internal Heat vvhich parched them; and vvhen they ſtood any of them to ſteer the Veſſel, they vvould have their Feet in a Pail of Sea VVater to refrigerate 'em.

  4. To make very thirsty.

    We're parched, hon. Could you send up an ale from the cooler?

    In my haste I stumbled , and fell over one of the wounded; he groaned, and prayed me for a cup of water to cool the thirst that parched him.

  5. To boil something slowly (Still used in Lancashire in parched peas, a type of mushy peas).
  6. To become superficially burnt; to become sunburned.

    The locals watched, amused, as the tourists parched in the sun, having neglected to apply sunscreen or bring water.