parch

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to make something extremely dry or withered through intense heat or lack of moisture

   Weeks without rain began to parch the fields.

2. 2
   verb

   to roast or toast grain or another dry food

   The cook began to parch the corn in a heavy iron pan.

From Middle English parchen 'to dry, scorch, or roast'; its earlier origin is uncertain, perhaps related to a Middle English verb meaning 'to roast'.

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