parch
/pɑɹt͡ʃ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.45 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To boil something slowly (Still used in Lancashire in parched peas, a type of mushy peas).
Archaic; Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "The sun today could parch cement."
- "Ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn."
- "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."
- "The last day's march was very painful, for the north wind, blowing full in their faces, parched and benumbed the men."
- "We're parched, hon. Could you send up an ale from the cooler?"
Etymology
From Middle English parchen, paarchen (“to parch; dry; roast”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant of Middle English perchen (“to roast”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: parchen
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /pɑɹt͡ʃ/
- British English: /pɑːtʃ/