parch

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

parch, v. t. [OE. perchen to pierce, hence used of a piercing heat or cold, OF. perchier, another form of percier, F. percer. See Pierce.].

•  To burn the surface of; to scorch; to roast over the fire, as dry grain; as, to parch the skin; to parch corn.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn."  [1913 Webster]
•  To dry to extremity; to shrivel with heat; as, the mouth is parched from fever.  [1913 Webster]

  "The ground below is parched."  [1913 Webster]

parch, v. i. 

 To become scorched or superficially burnt; to be very dry.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

parch, v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become hot and dry.
2 tr. roast (peas, corn, etc.) slightly.

Etymology

ME perch, parche, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

parch

Sanforize, air-dry, anhydrate, attenuate, bake, be in heat, blaze, blister, bloom, blot, boil, brand, broil, brush, burn, burn in, burn off, cast, cauterize, char, choke, coal, combust, consume, cook, crack, cupel, cure, dehumidify, dehydrate, desiccate, drain, dry, dry up, emacerate, emaciate, evaporate, exsiccate, fire, flame, flame up, flare, flare up, flicker, flush, found, fry, gasp, glow, incandesce, insolate, kiln, macerate, mummify, oxidate, oxidize, pant, preshrink, pyrolyze, radiate heat, roast, rub, scald, scorch, sear, seethe, shimmer with heat, shrink, shrivel, shrivel up, simmer, singe, smoke, smolder, smother, soak up, solder, spark, sponge, steam, stew, stifle, suffocate, sun, sun-dry, swab, sweat, swelter, swinge, thin, toast, torrefy, towel, vesicate, vulcanize, waste, waste away, weazen, weld, wipe, wither, wizen

ROGET THESAURUS

parch

Dryness

VB be dry, render dry, dry, dry up, soak up, sponge, swab, wipe, drain, desiccate, dehydrate, exsiccate, parch, kiln dry, vacuum dry, blow dry, oven dry, hang out to dry, mummify, be fine, hold up.

Heat

VB be hot, glow, flush, sweat, swelter, bask, smoke, reek, stew, simmer, seethe, boil, burn, blister, broil, blaze, flame, smolder, parch, fume, pant, heat, recalesce, thaw, give.

Calefaction

VB heat, warm, chafe, stive, foment, make hot, sun oneself, sunbathe, go up in flames, burn to the ground (flame), fire, set fire to, set on fire, kindle, enkindle, light, ignite, strike a light, apply the match to, apply the torch to, rekindle, relume, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, poke the fire, stir the fire, blow the fire, make a bonfire of, melt, thaw, fuse, liquefy, burn, inflame, roast, toast, fry, grill, singe, parch, bake, torrefy, scorch, brand, cauterize, sear, burn in, corrode, char, calcine, incinerate, smelt, scorify, reduce to ashes, burn to a cinder, commit to the flames, consign to the flames, boil, digest, stew, cook, seethe, scald, parboil, simmer, do to rags, take fire, catch fire, blaze.