scald
/skɔːld/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to burn skin or flesh with very hot liquid or steam, or to hurt it in this way.
- She scalded her hand with boiling water.
- Be careful not to scald the milk.
- The steam scalded his arm.
noun
a burn caused by hot liquid or steam.
- He had a scald on his wrist.
- The doctor treated the scald quickly.
Adinary Nuance
Scald is more specific than burn. Use it when hot liquid or steam causes the injury. It is not used for fire, sunburn, or a hot surface as often as burn is.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bỏng nước sôi
- Spanish
- escaldar
- Chinese
- 烫伤
- Japanese
- やけどを負わせる
- Korean
- 데이다
Etymology
Scald comes from Old English scealdan, meaning to burn or heat. It has been in English since early medieval times.
Common phrases
scalding waterscald oneselfa scalding injury
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is scald the same as burn?
- Not exactly. Scald usually means a burn from hot liquid or steam.
- Can I say scald for sunburn?
- No. Sunburn is a burn from the sun, not a scald.
- Is scald a common word in medicine?
- Yes, it is used in medical and everyday English.